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John Brown aggregates all the most recent public diplomacy related news, including current issues in U.S. foreign policy, international broadcasting and media, propaganda, cultural diplomacy, educational exchanges, anti-Americanism, and the reception of American popular culture abroad.

JANUARY 4 2006 EXCHANGES SUPPLEMENT
by Stacy Glassgold

WEEKLY EXCHANGES SUPPLEMENT
The following articles are related to educational and cultural exchange programs. Specific topics in this supplement include USG-funded exchange programs (e.g., Fulbright scholarships, Ron Brown Fellowship, International Visitors) as well as issues relating to student visas, study abroad, and NGOs involved in exchanges. The articles are aggregated weekly by STACY MICHELLE GLASSGOLD, THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY.

C.1) USG–FUNDED EXCHANGE PROGRAMS (SCROLL DOWN TO SECTION C.2 FOR OTHER TOPICS)

1. BATES COLLEGE ALUMNUS RECEIVES FULBRIGHT AWARD FOR SRI LANKA RESEARCH (ASCRIBE NEWSWIRE, JANUARY 4TH 2006): Rory Stratton, a 2005 graduate of Bates College, is researching Islamic art and architectural history in Sri Lanka with the support of a Fulbright grant.  Stratton, of Northeast Harbor, is studying mosques in the island nation, whose Muslim population totals around 8 percent. An art and visual culture major at Bates, Stratton is continuing research that he began at the college during a junior-year program in Sri Lanka. LINK

2. COMMUNICATION PROFESSOR GOING TO LATVIA ON FULBRIGHT (WMU NEWS, JANUARY 3RD 2006): A Western Michigan University professor has won a Fulbright scholarship to teach and lecture in Latvia.  Dr. Michael Kent, assistant professor of communication, will visit the Baltic nation February through May 2006 and will spend the four months at the University of Latvia in Riga. Kent will teach classes in public speaking and public relations and conduct research.  In addition, he will begin writing a public relations textbook and conduct interviews with scholars and public relations professionals.  LINK

3. OU STUDENTS DO WELL AT OBTAINING PRESTIGIOUS GRANTS (THE ATHENS NEWS, JANUARY 3RD 2006):  In the past five years, Ohio University students have been increasingly successful at obtaining U.S. Fulbright Student Program grants. This year, according to a university news release, OU was among the top 25 producers of Fulbright awards for the 2005-06 academic year, as reported in the Chronicle of Higher Education.  With 22 applicants and nine winners, OU claimed the highest number of Fulbright awards in the state for the third straight year.  LINK

4. MAGAZINE PRAISES KU’S WORK IN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION (KANSAS CITY INFOZINE, JANUARY 4TH 2006): International Educator, a magazine specializing in educational exchanges between colleges in America and overseas, praises the University of Kansas in its current issue for KU’s commitment to sending students to study outside of America, as well as bringing international students to Kansas. LINK

C.2) OTHER NEWS ON EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE ISSUES

5. US EASES VISA PROCESS FOR CHINESE (CRIENGLISH.COM, DECEMBER 30TH 2005): The United States Government is making efforts to improve visa processing in China in order to attract more Chinese visa applicants, according to a press release by the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou on Thursday. As for student visas, the U.S. Government has extended the visa validity for Chinese students from six months to one year starting last July. It has also recommended increasing the validity to four years, and the Chinese Government is considering the request.
LINK

6. PAKISTAN CANCELS VISAS OF SEMINARIES FOREIGN STUDENTS (IRNA, DECEMBER 30TH 2005): Pakistan on Thursday cancelled visas of foreign students in the Islamic seminaries announcing it would deport all foreign Muslim students after the December-31 deadline is expired.  On the other hand, the Islamic seminaries protested on Thursday against the move and announced that they would resist expelling foreign students by the year end.
LINK

7. CHINA PROMOTES RELIGIOUS EXCHANGE (CRIENGLISH.COM, DECEMBER 30TH 2005): China on Friday established an organization to encourage religious exchange with other countries. The China Religious and Cultural Exchange Association will help the country’s non-governmental religious organizations participate in international religious and cultural exchanges.
LINK

8. NAIROBI VARSITY LAUNCHES CHINESE LANGUAGE CENTRE, VINCENT MUSUMBA & AGATHA KING’OO (KENYA TIMES, JANUARY 2ND 2006):  The University of Nairobi becomes Africa’s first university to establish a full- fledged institute to teach Chinese as a foreign language. Confucius Institute launched at the University of Nairobi (CIUON) recently is a joint venture between Chinese and Kenyan Ministries of Education.
LINK

9. ALARM OVER SHORTAGE OF ENGINEERS, MARK METHERELL (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, JANUARY 5TH 2006): The scarcity of local graduates had been partly offset by a rise in foreign graduates, up from 2331 in 2001 to 3306 in 2003.  But while Australian employers were attracting significant numbers of overseas engineers on temporary work visas, the report said, this was at the expense of local access to the engineering profession.
LINK

10. TEN US-TEACHERS READY FOR A STINT IN T’GANU (BERNAMA, DECEMBER 31ST 2005): To ensure greater usage of English among secondary students, 10 teachers from the United States (US) will serve in schools throughout Terengganu as English Teaching Assistants (ETA) under the US-ETA Programme.  LINK

11. COMEXUS PROMOTES UNDERSTANDING THROUGH EXCHANGES, RHONA STATLAND DE LOPEZ, EL UNIVERSAL (MIAMI HERALD, JANUARY 4TH 2006): The U.S./Mexico Commission for Education and Cultural Exchange, better known as Comexus, is celebrating its 15th anniversary. Fulfilling its mission to promote mutual understanding between the United States and Mexico through education and cultural exchange, Comexus has made it possible for more than 1,000 Mexicans to visit and study in the United States.
LINK

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