The Fulbright Commission Wales Summer
Institute is a six-week cultural and academic programme for US students
held at three internationally renowned Welsh universities; Cardiff University, Bangor University and Aberystwyth University focusing on the theme of: “Contemporary Wales: Industry, Politics, Culture and Change.” This is the second year that we will be holding an Institute in Wales.
Participants in this programme will get the opportunity to:
- Experience an exciting academic programme at three high quality Welsh Universities
- Explore the geography, culture, heritage and history of Wales, visiting museums, galleries, parks, castles and islands
- Develop their learning skills, improving presentation, research and communication skills
- Meet people from all over the world, make friends and experience life as a real student in the UK
- Become an ambassador for studying in the United Kingdom.
This year’s institute will take place from 23 June – 3 August 2012.
Participants will learn about Wales
– its culture, history, its geographical differences and the role that
industry has taken in shaping the historical, political and cultural
landscape of Wales. Participants will also learn about the role of
Wales within the United Kingdom and the wider world and Welsh influences
internationally.
Using the dramatic and wide ranging natural and man made resources
available across Wales, students will receive a unique insight into what
makes Wales such a dynamic, diverse and fascinating country.
Participants will have the opportunity to study at three high quality
universities in Wales, each with their own areas of expertise, but all
recognised internationally for the quality of their research and
teaching. For more information about the summer institute please see the
Programme Outline
Award Benefits
The majority of the participant costs will be covered. This includes:
- round-trip airfare from the US to the UK;
- tuition and fees at the three Universities;
- accommodation and social programme;
- subsistence e.g. food and drink
Participants are expected to pay for their own travel, health and accident insurance.
Special Programmes do not preclude participants from applying for a Fulbright Award
later in their academic career. The summer institutes are intentionally
designed in such a way that allows participants to come back to the UK
at postgraduate or postdoctoral level as a Fulbright Student or Scholar.
Selection Criteria
To meet the minimum eligibility for this Institute you need to:
- be a US citizen (resident anywhere except the UK) and possess a US passport;
- be at least 18 years old;
- be able to participate in the programme in its entirety;
- have a high level of academic achievement with a minimum GPA of 3.5 (confirmed by academic marks, awards and references);
- have at least two years of undergraduate study left to complete;
i.e. applicants should currently be a Freshman or Sophomore in
college/university; - be mature, responsible, independent, and open-minded;
- be willing and able to fully participate in an academically
intensive programme that includes attending all sessions, completing all
assignments, contributing to classroom discussions and supporting
student ambassador style work as required; - have had little or no study or travel experience in the UK or elsewhere outside of the US and;
- expect to return to the US and continue your education.
Note: The programme is open to students in all courses of study.
Those persons holding permanent residency ‘green cards’ may not apply.
Please read the Terms and Conditions for this award before making an application.
In making these awards the Commission is looking not only for
academic excellence but a focused application, a range of
extracurricular and community activities, an indication of ambassadorial
skills, a desire to further the Fulbright Programme and a plan to give
back to your home country upon returning.
Individuals from a broad range of ethnic, religious, geographic, and socio-economic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Applying
All applications are due Friday 16 March 2012 by 5pm (UK Time)
To apply please download an application form
If you have a query about applying please read the FAQs document before contacting the Commission.
Please note: Applications
which arrive by email, by fax or late will not be considered. Please
ensure that you attach sufficient postage when sending forms/letters to
the US-UK Fulbright Commission in London. We will not accept excess
charges for items of mail which have been underpaid – they will be
returned unopened.
If you would like confirmation that your
application has been received by the Fulbright Commission, you must
send your application via Recorded Delivery. Commission staff will not
confirm receipt of applications by email or phone.
Interviews
Applications will be short-listed and successful applicants will be invited to telephone interview on the 18-27 April 2012. Interviews will only be held these days and may not be rescheduled.
If you are making an application, please
save these dates as an invitation to interview may come within a few
days of the interview date.
The selection committee will be comprised
of Fulbright Commission staff and on occasion representatives from a
relevant field, academics, US Embassy and/or Consulate representatives
and University staff.
Candidates will be considered without
respect to race, colour, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual
preference or gender (including gender reassignment). Individuals from a
broad range of ethnic, religious, geographic, and socio-economic
backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Important note: The US-UK Fulbright Commission is unable to comment on individual applications or the reason for their refusal.
Timeline
December Competition opens
16 March Application deadline
Early April Short-listed candidates invited to Interview
18-27 April Telephone Interviews
Early May Notification for successful applicants
May/June Preparation and Pre-Departure Information
22 June Departure for UK
23 June Arrival in the UK
3 August Return to USA
Additional Information
Programme Outline
The programme title for 2012 is: “Contemporary Wales: Industry,
Politics, Culture and Change”. The six week programme is divided into
three parts:
1. Cardiff University
For
the first two weeks, the selected Fulbright participants will be hosted
by Cardiff University. At Cardiff University there will be an emphasis
on the impact of industrial and economic change in two distinct regions:
the ‘Valleys’ and the coastal ports. To support this, an overview of
issues relating to South Wales as a region within Wales, and the UK,
will be approached. The nature of economic and political change in
South Wales during the past three centuries and consequent questions
about Welsh culture, identity and the Welsh language will also be
considered.
Click here to see the 2011 Cardiff programme
2. Bangor University
Students
will spend the next two weeks of the programme at Bangor University. At
Bangor University there will be an emphasis within both the academic
and experiential component on issues pertaining to identity and much
that this concept involves. The question of how a small nation can
uphold its identity, traditions, culture and language in a globalising
world will be examined. This element of the programme will look at
tourism – including marketing, reputation and customer base, iconic
tourist sites; primary industry – both historical and contemporary such
as slate and ore mining, highland agriculture and land management and
national park management; the Welsh language – how it is maintained as a
native language and how it has become a strong ethnic marker; Celticism
-questions surrounding Celtic identity and what this means in
contemporary Wales and might this compare with the Celtic identities of
Ireland and Scotland.
Click here to see the 2011 Bangor programme
3. Aberystwyth University
Students
will spend the final two weeks at Aberystwyth University where they
will be concerned primarily with the changing economic and social issues
of Central Wales. Dynamics of rural relationships dominate this
region, which is characterised by a dispersed low-density population
including peripherality, low wages, a restricted range of opportunities,
distance from major economic markets and an insufficiency of population
critical mass to attract providers of new infrastructure links. The
region has above average dependency in most parts on the public sector
and below average private sector investment, dominated by micro and
small enterprise activity with few large employers. Although a high
proportion of self-employment is usually regarded as a favourable
indicator for growth, the restricted range of self-employment
occupations indicates to the contrary, namely a restricted range of
opportunity to build significant business growth.
Click here to see the 2011 Aberystwyth programme
The Summer Institute programme is designed to be both academic and
cultural in scope. Accordingly, a series of visits and walking tours to
historical and cultural sites will be an integral part of the
programme. In 2011 visits to local government institutions and other
sites, including Ironbridge, Cardiff Castle, Anglesey, Snowdonia National Park and King Arthur’s Labyrinth,
gave participants the opportunity to learn about their host city/town,
its history and its role in Wales and the United Kingdom in terms of
Industry, history and culture. Similar cultural and social outings will
be offered for the 2012 Institute.
All course content is subject to change. The information is intended
to provide an initial scope of the programme and should not be
considered final.
For further information from the Welsh Government’s ‘Official Gateway to Wales’ please visit the www.wales.com website.