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Legacy of the Fulbright Program in the MENA Region
Since its inception in 1946, in the aftermath of World War II, the Fulbright Program has enriched education, advanced careers, and made meaningful contributions to society. The Fulbright Program has a rich history in the MENA region, dating back to the establishment of the Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt in 1949. Since then, over 5,000 students from the MENA region, and from a variety of backgrounds, have traveled to the United States as part of the Fulbright Foreign Student Program. In 2021, the Fulbright Program celebrated its diamond anniversary, honoring 75 years of creating connections between, and impact in, communities around the world.
To learn more about the Fulbright Program, visit
the U.S. Department of State's website.
the U.S. Department of State's website.
Learn more about the Fulbright Program.
Timeline of the Fulbright Program in the MENA Region
1946Fulbright Act of 1946 establishes the Fulbright Program.- 1949Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt established. First Fulbright Students from the MENA region arrive in the United States.
- 1951Fulbright Program in Iraq begins.
- 1952Fulbright Program in Morocco begins.
- 1952Fulbright Program in Lebanon begins.
- 1953 (est.)Fulbright Program in Algeria begins.
- 1955Fulbright Program in Libya begins.
- 1961President Kennedy signs the Fulbright-Hayes Act, which expands the Fulbright Program.
- 1963Fulbright Program in Tunisia begins.
- 1963 (est.)Fulbright Program in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates begins.
- 1964 (est.)Fulbright Program in West Bank/Gaza begins.
- 1970Amideast begins to administer components of the Fulbright Program on behalf of the U.S. Department of State.
- 1972Fulbright Program in Bahrain begins.
- 1982The United States and Moroccan governments sign an agreement to launch a binational educational commission, named the Moroccan-American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange (MACECE).
- 1993Jordanian American Commission for Educational Exchange (JACEE), also known as the Binational Fulbright Commission (BFC) in Jordan, is created by a bilateral agreement signed in May 1993.
- 2021The Fulbright Program celebrated its 75th anniversary.
Testimonials
Fulbright students bring a unique sense of sharing and giving to the community that is different from other visitors. Their participation on campus adds value to everyone who interacts with them.
Shahzad Ahmad, St. Cloud State University
Associate Vice President of Center for International Studies
My Fulbright experience had a remarkable impact on my life. I was able to pursue my graduate degree in Nutritional Sciences and this has set me on the right career trajectory. As a university professor today in Lebanon, I am able to inspire and support a new generation of students in the fields of community nutrition and public health.
Lamis, Lebanon
MSc. Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, 2006-2008
Being a Fulbright Scholar gave me the opportunity to expand my cross-cultural experiences and discover innovative mindsets.
Nadim, Tunisia
M. Architecture, Kent State University, 2019-2021
From Our Fulbrighters:
Fulbright Alumni Bios
Mourad Yazli, Algeria
Clemson University
MS Marketing
Dr. Rana Dajani, Jordan
University of Iowa
Ph.D. Molecular Biology
Dr. Nataly Naser Al Deen, Lebanon
Georgetown University
MS Tumor Biology
Iyadh Abid, Tunisia
Pennsylvania State University
LL.M
Interested in learning more about Fulbrighters from the MENA region? Read their stories!
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Kamar, Lebanon
MA Anthropology, Texas State University.
As a Fulbright scholar from Lebanon studying at Texas State University, I had the opportunity to create the first Ramadan event on my campus. During my time at Texas State, I became involved in my school’s International Office, and when I noticed there was not an event for the holy month of Ramadan, I was inspired to create one.
Fouad, West Bank and Mohammed, Egypt
MS Pharmaceutical Sciences, Butler University
When COVID-19 started to spread across the United States, everyone in the pharmaceutical science program at Butler University felt the need to use our resources and experience to help our community. One of our American classmates, Victor, was concerned about the lack of hand sanitizer. After telling us about these concerns, we created a task force of four graduate students and two advisors dedicated to working to solve this problem.
Since its inception in 1946, in the aftermath of World War II, the Fulbright Program has enriched education, advanced careers, and made meaningful contributions to society. The Fulbright Program has a rich history in the MENA region, dating back to the establishment of the Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt in 1949. Since then, over 5,000 students from the MENA region, and from a variety of backgrounds, have traveled to the United States as part of the Fulbright Foreign Student Program. In 2021, the Fulbright Program celebrated its diamond anniversary, honoring 75 years of creating connections between, and impact in, communities around the world.
This is a program of the U.S. Department of State, administered by Amideast.
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Phone: 202-776-9600
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E-Mail: inquiries@amideast.org
