The Universities Minister has hailed the UK and US as the
‘heavyweights of higher education’ and reinforced the
special relationship between the two countries by pledging
to forge transnational education partnerships.
spoke at the US-UK
Fulbright Commission’s reception in the House of Commons
(12 September) to celebrate their 70th anniversary, and
committed £1million for UK-US international exchanges. The
funding will help more young people and academics,
including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, experience
the world-class education that each country has to offer,
building on the over 23,000 educational exchanges Fulbright
have facilitated.
The Universities Minister praised the work undertaken by
the Fulbright Commission and reaffirmed the UK Government’s
commitment to a global outlook beyond Brexit.
The Universities Minister said:
At the heart of our great nations’ success is great
education. The UK and the US are both powerhouses on the
international stage, attracting talented students and
teachers from across the globe to broaden both of our
horizons.
I recognise that, with the prospect of Brexit here in the
UK, there is much concern as to what the future holds for
our relationship with the outside world. Let me reassure
you with this gesture that we are committed to the UK
remaining open to the world and becoming even more global
and internationalist in outlook.
As the only scholarship programme supporting students and
scholars on both sides of the Atlantic, across all
disciplines, the US-UK Fulbright Programme is a prime
example of the special relationship that has blossomed
between our two countries. And it is a partnership of
which we are extremely proud.
Penny Egan, Executive Director of the US-UK Fulbright
Commission:
As we approach the 70th anniversary of the signing of the
treaty that created the US-UK Fulbright Commission, we
warmly welcome the UK Government’s endorsement of our
work and its recommitment to our future. This significant
extra funding will allow us to create more opportunities
for British students, academics and teachers and even up
the awards available on both sides of the Atlantic.
This is a bilateral partnership that celebrates the
exchange of innovative ideas and best practice, cementing
lasting collaborations and a deeper understanding of each
other’s country. We are enormously grateful for the
continuing support of both governments, that will enable
us to invest in future generations of Fulbright scholars.
The UK and US have long been seen as the powerhouses for
higher education, with the two countries making up 9 out of
ten of the world’s best universities.
The funding builds on a strong history of the UK-US
bilateral education relationship, and will introduce a
programme enabling teachers from the UK to develop and
share their professional skills and academic knowledge in
the US.
