USEFI renews agreement with Manipal University

Manipal, Nov 20 (UNI) The United States Educational Foundation in India (USEFI), the Fulbright Commission in India and Manipal University today agreed to renew the MoU to sponsor the Fulbright-Pai fellowship for US visiting lecturers for a further period of five years, effective from 2008-09.

Under the renewed MoU, signed between USEFI Chairman Adnan A Siddiqi and Manipal University President Ramdas M Pai, both agreed to jointly sponsor Fulbright-Pai Fellowships for US visiting lecturers to teach in constituent colleges of Manipal University and to be involved in ongoing research in the areas of mutual interest.

Speaking after signing the MoU, Dr Pai said the university would meet 50 per cent of the funding. Encouraged by the success of USEFI operations in India, the Centre was now holding talks and also hopefully planning to equally fund with USEFI.

Speaking on the occasion executive director of USEFI, Jane E Schukaske said that approximately 2,67,500 'Fulbrighters', 1,00,900 from US and 1,66,600 from other countries of which over 4,000 from India, had participated in the programme since its inception over 50 years ago. Interest in Indo-US higher educational exchange and collaboration was surging and USEFI had supported this enthusiasm at many levels, she added.

Fulbright alumni in India contributed to this vibrant Indo-US educational dialogue by building ties between USEFI and educational institutions, government, corporate and NGO sector.

UNI