892 



The Point IV Program, initiated in 1950, brought "American technical 

 know-how" to the developing countries.^- 



The Fiilhright Program of Overseas Fellowships 



The Nation's first large-scale legislative program for interna- 

 tional educational and cultural exchange began in 1964 when Sen- 

 ator William Fulbright sponsored an amen(hnent to the Surplus 

 Property Act of 1944 to authorize a mutual exchange of scholars witli 

 22 countries, financed b}^ foreign currencies derived from the sale of 

 surplus U.S. war materials abroad. 



The Fulbright program differed significant h' from previous over- 

 seas scholarship activities. These factors continue to characterize it 

 today. First, the program was conceived so as to minimize involve- 

 ment with propaganda and "cultural imperialism", and to insure 

 bilateral cooperation, by (a) requiring that the United States and each 

 participating countr}^ sign formal exchange agreements to authorize 

 the program, and (b) by estabhshing binational foundations or com- 

 missions, composed equall}' of U.S. citizens (including the U.S. Ambas- 

 sador) and foreign nationals, who wouhl assist in local program 

 selection and administration. Second, architects of the program 

 sought to establish an adnunistrative framework neither too de- 

 pendent nor too independent of foreign policy by (a) placing overall 

 administrative responsibility for the program in the Department of 

 State, but also b}^ (b) establishing a Board of Foreign Scholarships 

 (BFS) charged with selecting all participants and with general super- 

 vision of the program. Responsibilit}^ for administration and execu- 

 tion of the program was given to the Bureau of Educational and 

 Cultural Affairs (CU) in the Department of State, which also admin- 

 isters other U.S. exchange-of-persons programs. CU, acting under 

 broad policy outlines set by the Board, provides administrative staff 

 and secretariat for the program, negotiates agreements covering edu- 

 cational interchange with foreign governments, maintains liaison with 

 U.S. embassies and consulates overseas, and in Washington cooperates 

 with other U.S. Government and private agencies on particular 

 aspects of the program.^^ According to one historian of this era: 



The Fulbright program . . . fitted perfectly the spirit of the times. lutoruational- 

 minded academic and civic groups saw in it an apjjealing and practical means to 

 promote world understanding. As hundreds of scholars began criss-crossing the 

 ocean the very name Fulbright became a world-wide symbol (.)f mutual under- 

 standing.^* 



However, after several ye&vs of operation the Fulbright program 

 came under increasing criticism. First, some critics felt it was too 

 limited : 



. . . For all its virtues, the Fulbright prograin had limitations. ... It was re- 

 stricted to academic exchanges and it could operate only in comitries where the 

 U.S. Government happened to own "excess foreign currencies," which excluded 

 a good many countries. It could cover only the transportation costs of foreign 



32 For a review of the evolution of American technical assistance programs, especially th« Point IV pro- 

 gram, see: "Chapter Four: The Point IV Program: Technological Transfer As the Basis of Aid to Develop- 

 ing Countries.," In U.S., Congress, House, Committee on Science and Astronautics, Sul)comiiiittee on 

 Science, Research and Development, Technical Information for Congress: Riport, Prepared l>y the Science 

 Policy Research Division, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, 92d Cong., 1st sess., April 

 25, 1969, pp. 61-96. 



33 TT.S., Board of Foreign Scholarships, Continuing the Commitment ... a report on Academic Exchanges: 

 Eighth Annual Riport (October 1970), p. 19. 



3< Philip II. Coombs, The Fourth Dimension of Foreign Policy: Educational and Cultural Affairs (Published 

 for the Council on Foreign Relations, Harper and Row, 1964), p. 30. 



