SLOVAK Minister of Education Martin Fronc and US Chargé d'Affaires Scott Thayer signed an agreement March 22 to continue the Fulbright programme in Slovakia.
According to Minister Fronc, the agreement "will enable the exchanges of students, interns, researchers, teachers, professors, and experts between the Slovak Republic and the US." The minister added that it should also help develop cooperation in the educational, business and NGO (non-governmental organizations) sectors.
In his remarks, Thayer said that it gave him special pleasure to sign the agreement just prior to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Senator J William Fulbright (April 9, 1905).
Since entry into the European Union, Slovakia has joined the European educational, research and innovative environment. This means more emphasis on the internationalization of higher education, mobility for academics and greater cooperation with third countries.
"The Fulbright programme will strengthen the process of the transformation of Slovak higher education. It will support cooperation with exchange centres for researchers and scholars," Minister Fronc said at the press briefing.
This agreement builds on the 1994 agreement that established the Fulbright Commission in Slovakia. About 300 Slovak and American academics have taken part in Fulbright exchanges since the programme's inception. This academic year (2004-2005), 11 Slovaks received grants to go to the US and there are 11 American Fulbright scholars in Slovakia - in Bratislava, Nitra, Banská Bystrica and Prievidza.
Compiled by Spectator staff
from US Embassy press release
