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English Press Releases

Ambassador Congratulates Pakistani Exchange Students

Islamabad - December 14, 2012
Ambassador Richard Olson congratulated more than 100 Pakistani students traveling to the United States for undergraduate study as part of the U.S.-government funded Global Undergraduate (Global UGRAD) Program.
“I am proud of our student exchange programs here in Pakistan, which are the largest anywhere in the world and demonstrate the depth of our commitment to Pakistan’s young people,” said Ambassador Olson.
More than 100 Pakistani students will depart in January for a semester of study at U.S. colleges and universities under the Global UGRAD fellowship program which is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State. The U.S. government fully funds these fellowships for the entire period of study. The United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) administers the program and held a pre-departure orientation December 14-15 to help students prepare to study in the U.S.
“The really exciting thing about this group of undergraduates,” said Ms. Rita Akhtar, Executive Director USEFP, “is that so many of these students come from remote or economically disadvantaged areas of Pakistan. The group includes 31 students from Punjab, 25 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 22 from Sindh, 17 from Gilgit-Baltistan, 4 from FATA, 5 from Islamabad Capital Territory, seven from Balochistan, and two from AJK. Forty-six percent of the students are women. Students will be pursuing a wide variety of disciplines, including humanities and social science subjects, engineering, basic sciences, law, art and design, economics, and business administration.” The students are attending more than 50 different colleges and universities located throughout the United States.
The Global UGRAD program was launched in the fall of 2010 when the first cohort of approximately 50 students departed for the U.S. More than 400 students have participated in the program to date.
USEFP is a bi-national commission established in 1950 by the governments of Pakistan and the United States. USEFP’s mission is to promote mutual understanding between the American and Pakistani people through educational and cultural exchange. Since its inception more than 62 years ago, nearly 4,000 Pakistanis and more than 800 Americans have participated in USEFP administered exchange programs.

Ambassador Richard Olson congratulated more than 100 Pakistani students traveling to the United States for undergraduate study as part of the U.S.-government funded Global Undergraduate (Global UGRAD) Program.

“I am proud of our student exchange programs here in Pakistan, which are the largest anywhere in the world and demonstrate the depth of our commitment to Pakistan’s young people,” said Ambassador Olson.

More than 100 Pakistani students will depart in January for a semester of study at U.S. colleges and universities under the Global UGRAD fellowship program which is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State. The U.S. government fully funds these fellowships for the entire period of study. The United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) administers the program and held a pre-departure orientation December 14-15 to help students prepare to study in the U.S.

“The really exciting thing about this group of undergraduates,” said Ms. Rita Akhtar, Executive Director USEFP, “is that so many of these students come from remote or economically disadvantaged areas of Pakistan. The group includes 31 students from Punjab, 25 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 22 from Sindh, 17 from Gilgit-Baltistan, 4 from FATA, 5 from Islamabad Capital Territory, seven from Balochistan, and two from AJK. Forty-six percent of the students are women. Students will be pursuing a wide variety of disciplines, including humanities and social science subjects, engineering, basic sciences, law, art and design, economics, and business administration.” The students are attending more than 50 different colleges and universities located throughout the United States.

The Global UGRAD program was launched in the fall of 2010 when the first cohort of approximately 50 students departed for the U.S. More than 400 students have participated in the program to date.

USEFP is a bi-national commission established in 1950 by the governments of Pakistan and the United States. USEFP’s mission is to promote mutual understanding between the American and Pakistani people through educational and cultural exchange. Since its inception more than 62 years ago, nearly 4,000 Pakistanis and more than 800 Americans have participated in USEFP administered exchange programs.