51 Pakistani Undergraduate Students Embark On Exchange Journey In The USA

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Dec, 2022 ) :A total of 51 Pakistani students are set to leave for the United States to study for one semester under the Global Undergraduate Semester Exchange Program (Global UGRAD) funded by the government of the United States of America (USA).

The United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) held a two-day pre-departure orientation in Islamabad to learn about campus, American culture and visa and travel requirements. The students come from all regions of Pakistan and represent 30 public and private universities.

During their stay in the U.S., the students will attend undergraduate classes at 47 colleges and universities and participate in community projects to strengthen their leadership and academic skills, says a press release.

Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the program provides participants with the opportunity to enrich their education and experience full-time academic study.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Academic Programs for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Ethan Rosenzweig congratulated Pakistani students travelling to the United States for the Global Undergraduate Semester Exchange (Global UGRAD) Program.

"We are eager to welcome these outstanding student leaders on our university campuses, where they will share their culture and perspectives with their American peers, helping to connect the Pakistani and American people," said Deputy Assistant Secretary Rosenzweig.

Since the Global UGRAD Program launched in 2010, approximately 2,442 Pakistani students have previously received this prestigious one-semester scholarship to study in the United States.

USEFP Executive Director Rita Akhtar encouraged the students to take full advantage of the academic, extracurricular, and community service activities available in the United States.

"This year, we received a record number of applications from all over Pakistan. We've tried to prioritize students who have not had travel experience and who come from under-represented communities, in addition to all of them having excellent academic records. This group represents the rich diversity of Pakistan, and their American classmates will learn a lot from them. The opportunity to experience higher education in the United States is life-changing and lays the foundation for new friendships and mutual understanding between the people of both countries." USEFP is a bi-national commission established in 1950 by the governments of the United States and Pakistan.

Since its inception, more than 9,300 Pakistanis and over 935 Americans have participated in USEFP-managed exchange programs.

Its mission is to promote mutual understanding between the people of Pakistan and the people of the United States through educational and cultural exchange programs.