about us
The Australian-American Fulbright Commission is a non-profit organisation in Australia, established through a binational treaty between the Australian and United States governments in 1949 under the auspices of the United States Educational Foundation (USEFA) in Australia. The program was funded from U.S. Government credits acquired in Australia from the sale of surplus war materials. In 1963, the two governments established the Australian-American Education Foundation as a successor to USEFA, to be funded equally by the two parties. The operational name changed to the Australian-American Fulbright Commission in 2000.
Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program is one the largest and most prestigious educational exchange programs in the world. The Australian-American Fulbright Commission is one of over 50 Fulbright Commissions in the world who work with the United States Department of State to facilitate the Fulbright Program between the United States and over 150 countries worldwide. Established through the initiative of U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright and the United States government in 1946 the program has a rich history.
Mission
The mission of the Commission is:
"to further mutual understanding between the people of Australia and the United States through educational and cultural exchange"
This is primarily achieved through the administration of Fulbright Scholarships to support students and scholars – chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential – to research and study in each others countries, exchange ideas and develop bilateral relations and connections to address common issues.
Governance
The Australian-American Fulbright Commission is governed by a Board of Directors composed of five Australians, appointed annually by the Minister of Education, Science and Training under delegated authority of the Australian Prime Minister, and five Americans, appointed by the U.S. Ambassador to Australia. The Prime Minister and the Ambassador serve as joint Honorary Co-Chairs of the Commission, while the Board of Directors elects its Chairperson each year from its members. The Fulbright Commission office is based in Canberra and is administered by the Commission staff.
Funding
The primary funding of the Fulbright Program in Australia is provided by the Australian and United States governments. This core funding is supplemented by the generous support of a select group of sponsors including companies, organisations and government agencies.
Alumni
Since 1949 over 2,500 Australians and 1,800 Americans have been Fulbright Scholars in our respective countries. Fulbright Alumni include a distinguished list of Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, governors and senators, ambassadors and artists, prime ministers and heads of state, professors and scientists, Supreme Court Justices, and chief executive officers. The richness of their experience and the relationships they have developed lives on through the Australian Fulbright Alumni Association (AFAA). The Association continues to promote and support the Fulbright Program through professional and social networking activities in Australian and the United States. The Australian and U.S. Alumni, through their generous donations, have established endowment funds for extra Fulbright Alumni Scholarship to expand the Australian Program.