The US-UK Fulbright Commission Strategic Plan 2020–23 From 17-year-olds to septuagenarians, we support education exchange between talented people of all backgrounds between the UK and the USA, enabling study, teaching and research at some of the world’s most exciting universities through scholarships, advice, coaching and experiential learning. 1 US-UK Fulbright Commission Strategic Plan 2020—23 Executive summary A world where there are no obstacles to learning, understanding and collaboration. Our Vision We advance knowledge, promote civic engagement and develop compassionate leaders through education exchange between the peoples of the US and the UK. Our Mission Credit: Jim Choate 3 US-UK Fulbright Commission Strategic Plan 2020—23 Strategic Plan 2020—23 US-UK Fulbright Commission 4 Executive summary How our work creates impact: In order to achieve these goals, we are going to invest in: • The promotion of academic excellence and curiosity • Making the most of our people. advances human knowledge. • Designing an Impact evaluation methodology. To solve global challenges we urgently need to • The Fulbright recruitment and selection process bring together the minds and the energy of people invests in human potential thereby increasing • Expanding our communications and events capacity. social mobility. from all cultures and backgrounds. • Building a robust data infrastructure. • The immersive experience of exchange between the US and UK – whether as Fulbright awardee or Supporting this drive for growth are: The calamity of COVID-19 has disrupted every dimension On both sides of the Atlantic, universities have played EducationUSA advisee – deepens understanding of the of our lives across the globe. The Black Lives Matter a critical role in fighting COVID-19 and higher education other country and fosters compassionate leadership. • Our existing government, university, and charity movement has sparked a worldwide reckoning and laid generally is seen as a key driver of the economic partnerships. bare the racial inequality that exists in every society. recovery from the pandemic. At the same time, there • Communities created through Fulbright fellowship Climate change continues to melt glaciers and wreak is pressure on universities to prove their value to wider cohorts and research/teaching collaboration have • A new fundraising strategy incorporating alumni, extreme weather and havoc. The next few years could society. These trends represent challenges as well as the potential to contribute to global problem solving. foundations, and high net worth individuals. be the most unstable and unpredictable in the 70+ year opportunities for the US-UK Fulbright Commission. history of the Fulbright awards. Our strategic priority for the next three years is to grow The US-UK Fulbright story is relevant and distinctive in Our mission is to advance knowledge, promote civic and show our impact in each of the above four areas with the following ways: Seventy-five years on from the coining of the term engagement and develop compassionate leaders an especial emphasis on: ‘special relationship,’ there is a renewed UK focus on through education exchange between the peoples of • It explicitly places a high value on the social impact the relationship with the US. the US and UK. • Tackling Global Challenges of its programming through its commitment to civic engagement, widening participation and solving Our vision is a world where there are no obstacles to • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion global challenges. learning, understanding and collaboration. • It is the only education exchange programme that goes both ways across the Atlantic. • It provides access to an influential and inclusive community of alumni engaged in furthering better 10,756 39,358 international understanding. British students in American Students in the USA (2019–20) the UK (2018–19) Six concrete goals for 2023: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: University Partners: Programmes that assert the vibrant diversity A doubling of American university partnerships. 1 of both the UK and the US. 4 Global Challenge Teaching Fellowships: Public Engagement: Newly established fellowships devoted to A raised profile of the Commission and its 2 advancing global challenges. 5 civic engagement. Undergraduate Programme Expansion: Alumni Engagement: A sustainable and expanded US and UK A dynamic and connected alumni community. 3 undergraduate Summer Institutes programme. 6 5 US-UK Fulbright Commission Strategic Plan 2020—23 Strategic Plan 2020—23 US-UK Fulbright Commission 6 Our world in figures The Global Fulbright Program EducationUSA 10,756 39,358 10,294 + UK students in the US American students in the UK Students who attended 160 (2019–20) (2018–19) USA College Day countries in partnership (2018–2020) 390k 39 60 Sutton Trust US Programme Global alumni Heads of State Nobel Laureates or government 412 74 $109m Sutton Trust US Programme different US universities in financial aid accessed by US-UK Fulbright Commission students admitted to attended by Sutton Trust US Sutton Trust US Programme US universities Programme students students th (2013–2020) (2013–2020) (2013–2020) anniversary 75 year in 2023 of students who are in the first generation of their family to go to university + % (2013–2020) 24,000 Exchanges 80 7 US-UK Fulbright Commission Strategic Plan 2020—23 Strategic Plan 2020—23 US-UK Fulbright Commission 8 Seventy-five years on from the coining of the term ‘special relationship’ there is a renewed UK focus on the relationship with the US. Contents 11 The wider context 12 The US-UK Fulbright Story 13 Looking Ahead 15 Overview 17 Detailed Roadmap 27 Investment 9 US-UK Fulbright Commission Strategic Plan 2020—23 Strategic Plan 2020—23 US-UK Fulbright Commission 10 The wider context The US-UK Fulbright Story Our core values: • Inquisitive: we embrace continual learning and believe in The 1948 treaty between the US and the UK governments the power of education to change lives and communities. specifically created the US-UK Fulbright Commission, one of the first Fulbright programmes in the world. And in The global Fulbright Program was created in 1946 in • Scrupulous and considerate: we are committed to the early 1950s, the first UK Fulbright Scholars crossed transparent, fair, and respectful practices. response to an exceptional political situation – the end the Atlantic, sailing into New York. Today, our Fulbright community comprises teachers, artists, scientists, • Collaborative: we seek out connections and partnerships. of a brutal world war and the urgent need for greater film makers and mathematicians, actors and doctors, MBAs, and MFAs, PhDs and MPAs all working towards • Inclusive: we aim to represent the diversity – in all its international understanding. advancing global change. dimensions – of both the UK and the US. High profile US-UK Fulbrighters include: • Entrepreneurial: we are creative thinkers and experimenters. Today, 75 years on, the world is faced with the American and British academic researchers are playing • John Hope Franklin, Historian, awarded the US nation’s unprecedented challenge of dealing with the COVID-19 important roles in the fight against the coronavirus and highest civilian honour, Presidential Medal of Freedom pandemic and its devastating impacts on human health, universities are being seen in both the UK and US as • Enthused: we are passionate about our work and celebrate each other. society and the global economy. key players in the post-pandemic recovery. However, • Milton Friedman, Economist, Nobel Prize winner in at the same time, higher education is under pressure to Economic Sciences In the UK, Brexit is now a reality. Hence the relationship demonstrate its value to society. Consequently, university with the US will take on even greater importance for the leaders are increasingly supportive of the synergies • Sylvia Plath, Author and Poet UK government and economy. For universities, acute between public engagement and knowledge transfer with financial issues, partly caused by the pandemic, will put teaching and research. Looking internationally, global • Richard Rogers, Architect severe pressure on budgets and research, alongside the learning or ‘the process of diverse people collaboratively disruption of student mobility. UK universities are looking analysing and addressing complex problems that • Joseph Stiglitz, Economist, Nobel Prize winner in to explore how best to enhance links with American transcend borders’, is increasingly being recognised as Economic Sciences counterparts and their profile among American students. integral to a modern university’s mission. • Shirley Williams, Politician and Political Scientist Over on the other side of the Atlantic, the pandemic However, there is also recognition that studying abroad is has upended business as usual for universities and has generally an option for a small minority of students. The The US-UK Fulbright Commission celebrates its strong 20th disproportionately affected students from disadvantaged pandemic and its disruption of in-person teaching and century heritage, while looking forwards with a strategic plan backgrounds who are more likely to have dropped out international travel have upended the traditional model that maps out its 21st century future. or not to have enrolled in the first place. Add to this in the immediate term. Climate change and its long-term a growing lack of confidence, according to polling impact on travel and people’s desire to travel is making organisations such as