Toward a better world

As one of the largest and most prestigious international exchange programs in the world today, the main objective of the Fulbright Program is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other nations through the sharing of ideas, knowledge, skills and individual experiences.

Fulbright Program grantees are expected to demonstrate outstanding academic performance and actively contribute to the promotion of mutual understanding as cultural ambassadors of their country.

The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by then Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. He felt his most important contribution in his long political career had been the establishment of the exchange program. Senator Fulbright passed away on February 9, 1995. At his memorial service, U.S. President Bill Clinton stated:

"The Fulbright Scholarship Program is a perfect example of Fulbright's faith—different kinds of people learning side by side, building what he called 'a capacity for empathy, a distaste for killing other men, and an inclination for peace.’ Now it includes as its alumni Nobel Prize winners, members of Congress, leaders for peace and freedom the world over, and many not-so-famous people who went home to live out the faith of Senator Fulbright.... No matter what their native tongue, all of them are now known by the same name—Fulbrights."

Board Members

Swedish Representation

Dr. Martin Norsell
Honorary Co-Chair of the Commission
Director General
Swedish Authority for Higher Education

Dr. Karin Forsberg Nilsson
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Professor
Rudbecklaboratoriet, Uppsala University

Dr. Michael Lundholm
Treasurer of the Commission Board
Professor
Department of Economics
Stockholm University

Dr. Maria Perers
Senior Lecturer in Craft History and Theory
University of Arts, Crafts and Design
Curator, Dalarnas Museum

Dr. Ann Towns
Professor
Department of Political Science
University of Gothenburg

American Representation

Ambassador Erik D. Ramanathan
Honorary Co-Chair of the Commission
U.S. Ambassador to Sweden
American Embassy

Mr. Joseph L. Crook
Chair of the Commission Board
Counselor for Public Affairs
American Embassy

Ms. Leslie Goodman
Public Diplomacy Officer
American Embassy

Dr. Fred Hocker
Director of Research
Vasa Museum
Stockholm

Dr. Craig Wheelock
Associate Professor
Head of Unit of Integrative Metabolomics
Institute of Environmental Medicine
Karolinska Institute