Prince Hassan commends efforts of Fulbright programme in Jordan on its 30th anniversary

AMMAN — In the presence of HRH Prince Hassan, the Jordanian-American Commission for Educational Exchange (JACEE) on Thursday celebrated its 30th anniversary.

In his keynote speech, Prince Hassan praised the efforts of the Fulbright programme in Jordan, emphasising that the programme instils the principle of transcending identities, cultures and beliefs across borders, and stresses the importance of respecting diversity and differences, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Saturday. 

During the ceremony attended by US Ambassador to Jordan Henry T. Wooster and US Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Lee Satterfield, the prince said: “These are the values and practices embraced by Fulbright scholars, and this is exactly what we envisioned when we inaugurated the Fulbright House in Amman on December 8, 1994.”

The prince emphasised the necessity of encouraging and practising experiential learning, cross-cultural dialogue and analytical thinking, and called for the convergence of mindsets to transform facts, reshape them, extract different outcomes, and engage in new frameworks of concepts.

Wooster commended the achievements of the Jordanian Fulbright alumni, considering them “a true exception”.

The Jordanian Fulbright alumni include influential figures, ranging from ministers, diplomats and artists to leaders in academic communities, non-governmental organisations and businesses, he said, adding that the personal connections formed during their study abroad experience have a lasting impact on their lives and future generations.

Highlighting the significance of the Fulbright programmes in Jordan and around the world, Satterfield said: “Today, we rely on the values of mutual understanding to achieve a world of greater peace and prosperity through tangible means, starting from creating larger economic and employment opportunities to finding a cure for the recent global health challenge, and reaching a historic peace plan or even educating a new generation of future leaders.”

Edward Bradus, CEO of JACEE, expressed appreciation to all those who have supported and participated in the Fulbright programme over the years, and noted that the Fulbright programme is not just an educational exchange programme, but “a transformative experience that builds bridges of understanding and friendship between the two countries”. 

He expressed keenness to work with partners and stakeholders to enhance and diversify programmes, creating more opportunities for education and mutual cooperation.

The achievements and contributions of the Fulbright alumni community were honoured during the event that celebrated the ongoing partnership between Jordan and the US, which was acknowledged by the Jordanian government that increased financial support to the commission, to assist in providing greater funding for Fulbright candidates.

The commission, also known as Binational Fulbright Commission in Jordan, takes pride in celebrating three decades of managing and supporting beneficial programmes for the Jordanian and American people. 

Since its establishment in May 1993, the JACEE has awarded over 1,500 scholarships to Jordanians and Americans for study, research and teaching in both countries, towards greater cooperation between the peoples of both nations.

The Fulbright Commission is one of 49 binational commissions worldwide that administer the Fulbright programme on behalf of the US Department of State. 

The Fulbright programme is an international educational exchange programme sponsored by the US government, designed to increase mutual understanding between the two peoples.

The committee is currently accepting applications from Jordanian citizens for Fulbright scholarships to the US for the 2024-2025 academic year. 

These scholarships provide funding for postgraduate studies, research projects, teaching assistantships and professional development programmes in various fields. The deadline for submitting applications is June 29, 2023.