Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- More than 60 students, scholars, and professionals attended a seminar May 4 to learn about US higher education and the wide range of educational exchange programs offered through the US Embassy in Tashkent.

The Embassy organized the seminar to let people know about opportunities to study in the US, including several Fulbright exchanges, the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship, and the Foreign Language Teaching Assistant and Global Undergraduate Exchange (UGRAD) programs. The deadlines to apply for several of the programs for the 2011-2012 academic year are quickly approaching.

Speaking at the event, US Ambassador Richard Norland told the participants that the educational exchange programs hold a special significance for him, as his daughter recently spent a year in Morocco on a Fulbright Fellowship.

“The Fulbright programs, like all of our exchange programs, offer an exciting chance to experience a different culture and a different educational system,” he said. “While in America, participants are Ambassadors of Uzbekistan, teaching Americans about your country’s rich traditions, culture, and history, and sharing what you learned in the US with your colleagues when you return.”

He noted that about 10 citizens of Uzbekistan go to the US each year on the Fulbright programs. Since 1992, about 40 American Fulbright students and scholars have come to Uzbekistan to study, teach and conduct research.

Cultural Affairs Officer Carrie Lee told the participants that more than 670,000 international students are studying in US colleges and universities. She gave an overview of the US higher education system; popular fields of study for international students, such as business and engineering; and the ways international students pay educational and living expenses, including aid from the universities, government or employers.

Lee then spoke about the various exchange programs run through the Embassy:

• The new International Fulbright Science and Technology Award is for top students in hard sciences who wish to pursue a Ph.D. at a leading US university. The highly competitive award facilitates advanced study in fields such as physics, chemistry, aeronautics and engineering. Application deadline is May 15.
• The Fulbright Foreign Student program offers graduate students, young professionals and artists the chance to pursue two-year master’s degrees in the US Those interested in studying in the humanities, hard sciences such as engineering, and social sciences are encouraged to apply. The application deadline is July 1.
• The Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) program is aimed at strengthening the teaching of foreign languages in the US while giving young teachers of English the chance to improve their language skills and gain knowledge of the US Participants teach foreign-language classes and can take classes themselves. The program is open to native Uzbek speakers. The application deadline is July 1.
• The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship program offers one year of independent study at a US university to mid-career professionals who have a record of leadership and commitment to public service. The application deadline is July 1.
• The Fulbright Visiting Scholar program allows university professors and professionals to conduct research in the US for four to 12 months. It is open to citizens of Uzbekistan who have a doctoral degree or who have at least 15 years of work experience. The application deadline is November 1.
• The Junior Faculty Development Program is open to college and university instructors from the nations of Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Southeast Europe. It provides a one-semester opportunity to attend classes and work with faculty members of US colleges and universities. The application deadline will be announced in the summer.

Lee also spoke about the 2-year Edmund Muskie program for graduate students; the UGRAD program, which supports one year of study in the US for undergraduate students; and the Benjamin Franklin Summer Institute for high school students. Those deadlines are in the fall and winter of 2010.

The Public Affairs Section at the Embassy organized the seminar with the help of the Educational Advising Center (EAC) to help students considering studying in the US The EAC provides free consulting services and information about US higher education, including the application process, financial aid, and English-language test preparation materials.