About the Fulbright Program
What is Binationalism

Binationalism was a primary objective of Senator Fulbright when he established the program. "I had not wanted this to be solely an American program," he wrote. "In each county, binational commissions are to develop the kind of program that made sense to them, i.e. the types of students, or teachers and professors, should be selected, and what kind of research work should be conducted."

The Fulbright Program has become a global system of binational exchanges, each between the United States and a partner nation. Binational commissions that administer the exchange have been established in 51 different countries where the Program operates.

The late Senator's vision of a truly binational program are reflected in the Policy Statements of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Section 110.2 states as follows:

          The Board has long championed the role and contribution of the binational Commissions in maintaining the integrity and international stature of the Board's academic exchange programs…(The) program is not a unilateral one, based on narrowly conceived national self-interest…it's strength derives from its mutuality of interests…Further, to achieve binationality, some degree of detachment between the Commission, the U.S. Embassy and USIS is desirable.