I. Introduction to the Program

The Global Fulbright Program was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by former Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas and was named after him. The Program now operates in over 140 countries and regions. The Fulbright Program in China started since 1979. In 1985, the China-U.S. Educational Agreement formally incorporated the Program under its framework. Under the guidance of the Chinese Ministry of Education, operational work such as the selection, admission, pre-departure training of Chinese candidates and the reception and training work of the U.S. scholars have been managed by the China Scholarship Council (CSC). The interview of Chinese scholars going to the U.S. is conducted jointly by CSC and the American Center for Educational Exchange, which is part of the American Embassy in China. Expenses of Chinese scholars in the U.S. are jointly covered by the two sides, while the Chinese side is also responsible for their one-way or two-way international airfare, provided they are postgraduate students. U.S. scholars working in China are remunerated from U.S. sources. There are 41 Chinese participating universities in the Program (See below, in alphabetical order).

In the year 2004, the Ministry of Education and the U.S. Embassy in Beijing have agreed on the expansion of the program. As a result, the Program will arrange for some 50 scholars from each side to go to conduct scientific researches, study, or teach in the other country. Under this framework, China will send 43 scholars to the U.S. in 2004.

As a result of the rapid growth of economy in China since the adoption of the opening up and reform policy, the priority areas of the Program have already shifted from English language teaching and teacher training to other fields in social sciences. Fields of research and study for Chinese scholars going to the U.S. have begun to embrace journalism, economics, law, and management; and the Chinese institutions of higher learning prefer to accept American experts in the above areas to the traditional areas such as literature, linguistics, and categorical history.

II. Selection and Sending of Scholars to the U.S.

a) Every year in July and August, the American Center for Educational Exchange informs formally the Chinese Ministry of Education to start the selection of Chinese scholars going to the U.S. under the framework of the Program, and sends the application materials and forms to the Ministry of Education for transferring to the CSC.
b) The CSC asks the participating universities to each recommend 2-4 candidates. The recommendation work of candidates completes in September or October.
c) According to their research fields, candidates who have passed the first round of selection shall take a two or three-day interview in September or October. CSC conducts the interview according to the name list provided by the American Center for Education Exchange (ACEE). The interview panel comprises of 3-4 experts from each side in addition to an officer from MOE.
d) ACEE will report the result of the interview to IIE for confirmation.
e) ACEE, via MOE, will inform CSC of the name list of the admitted candidates for CSC to send the admission notice and related documents regarding studying abroad. All the admitted candidates are administered in the same way as other state-sponsored students studying abroad. The rate of admission each year ranges from 50~60 %.
f) ACEE and Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) are responsible for facilitating visa acquisition for the admitted scholars. Scholars shall contact CSCSE for their flight tickets booking according to their study arrangements.
g) Each year CSC will organize pre-departure orientation for the admitted scholars in Beijing.

III. Admission of U.S. scholars going to China

1. CSC will report to ACEE and IIE the demand for preferable subject and specialty from host universities and institutions in China. It is IIE's responsibility to have an open recruitment and submit the enrollment to the US Department of State for approval.
2. Every year between April and August, ACEE will forward to the MOE the name list of scholars who will come in autumn and the following spring semesters to teach in China, and, via MOE, forward the list and application materials to CSC.
3. According to ACEE's requirements and the scholars' preferences, CSC is responsible for sending the scholars' application materials and settlement form to host universities and institutions. After soliciting the opinions and suggestions of different reception universities, the CSC arranges the placement of American scholars. If a scholar cannot be accepted by his/her first-choice university, the CSC after soliciting opinions of the ACEE, can refer him or her to the second-choice university.
4. In January and August each year, ACEE will present the name list of the scholars to be teaching in China to MOE and CSC and the detailed arrangement of pre-work orientation for the scholars. CSC is responsible for arranging people from the host universities to join the training and to accompany the scholars to the designated universities to work after training.
5. MOE is responsible for providing appropriate documents to the U.S. scholars and assisting the host universities and institutions with the related procedures for the scholars' teaching and staying in China.
6. The American scholars can report directly to ACEE any problems they encounter during their stay in China. CSC will help resolve the problems through consultation with host universities and institutions.