 n keeping with the U.S. Department of State’s commitment to diversity and equitable access to higher education, a new program designed to extend the reach of the Fulbright Program in Colombia was launched in February 2007. The Graduate Program for the Regions —a collaboration between the Colombian Fulbright Commission, the Colombian Ministry of Education, COLCIENCIAS, the Colombian Department of National Planning, and LASPAU—offers grants to researchers, academics, and professionals from outside the capital city of Bogota. Awards are for master’s or doctoral study in the United States, offering the benefits of study abroad to talented individuals who otherwise might have difficulty accessing such opportunities. Among other provisions, the program offers funding for grantees to travel from their homes to TOEFL and GRE testing sites in other parts of the country.
The Graduate Program for the Regions seeks to strengthen regional institutions through the training of individuals in fields related to scientific or technological innovation. Applicants must be sponsored by a university, research center, or business incubator that has few staff members with doctoral degrees and that commits to employing grantees upon their return. Eligible fields of study will be determined by each sponsoring institution based on its priorities for institutional and regional development.
In 2007, the program will award up to 22 grants to qualified candidates who demonstrate a commitment to the scientific, technological, and socioeconomic advancement of their individual regions. To ensure that the awards were well-publicized throughout the provinces, the Colombian Fulbright Commission undertook a two-month, 22-city promotional tour.
For further information, please contact LASPAU Program Officer Jennifer Haefeli by email (jennifer_haefeli@harvard.edu) or telephone (617-495-0369).
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