Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-09

economic strength are not the only
weapons. Intellectual and social
attachments, the knowledge of
which can be spread only through
the exchange Of opinion forming
individuals. are important, too.
It is clear that the United
States and Russia are now COM
peting for global intellectual lead
ership. with the rest Of the worlds
peoples, the committed and the un-
committed, an interested audience.
This gives exchange programs,
both between the two nations and
with other nations, special mean
ing.
Just what has been our expe-
rience in international exchange
over the past 10 years?
5000 q Year
The State Departments current
exchange activity falls into two
main categories: The Fulbright
program for teachers, lecturers.
research scholars and graduate
students, and the leader specialist
program for influential individuals
and experts in particular fields.
Six thousand persons a year are
currently involved-two-thirds are
foreigners coming to the United
States from more than 80 coun-
tries and the rest are Americans
going abroad. In the last 10 years
$4,000 exchanges have taken place
$4,000 foreigners and $4,000
Americans.
The Fulbright academic pro-
gram operates as a series OF BIZ
national efforts between the
United States and the partici-
pating foreign countries. Joint
educational. commissions pick A.
900 out Of 10000 applicants and
direct their course of study, and
academic supervision is in the
hands of the Board of Foreign
Scholarships appointed by the
President from among Americas
leading educators. Under its di-
rection more than 5000 private
American citizens assist IN the
programs operation.
Through contractual arrange
ments with the Institute Of Inter-
national Education and other
privately financed organizations,
the foreign visitor is able to re-
ceive a visiting profesSorship or
fellowship offered by an American
university or research institution.
Thus the Governments main ex-
pense is to cover the cost Of trans
portation.
This meshing of public and pri-
vate funds has been so successful
that it is estimated that more
than $40 million of private money
here and abroad has been at
tracted to the academic exchange
activity. The actual costs Of con-
Quoting the academic exchanges.
involving currently about 2.700
foreigners and 1,750 Americans. is
only about sos million, aside from
governmental overhead.
Selection Is important
Out Of some 10000 foreign stu
dents now in the United States,
slightly less than 5000 are Gov
ernment-Sponsored. In contrast to
the vast majority who study in
dependently in the United States,
the Fulbright program offers the
advantage of selecting individuals
with specific qualifications who
can effectively utilize their Ameri-
can experience when they go
home. For example, many courses
in American studies have been
established abroad as a result OF
the program.
A recent survey has shown that.
on the whole, Government-spon-
sored foreign students have tended
to do better than those here under
private grants. This is because
the official visitor is usually chosen
as the result Of competition and
because his planned curriculum
offers a considerable advantage.
Although many American
teachers who have gone abroad
for tours Of duty in foreign schools
have been outstanding in their
fields, some competent observers
of the academic program believe
that often the calibre of foreign
professors and teachers visiting
the United States has been higher,
FinoncioI Reasons
There are reasons for this. For
one thing 1t is often difficult ~
make it financially attractive for
an outstanding American scholar
to leave his university for a year
abroad. A professor who accepts
q foreign academic assignment
may be $4,000 a year out of pocket
because the Government does not
pay the cost of dependents travel
or his continuing stateside ex-
penses.
Although such financial sacri-
fees will often be made for a
European post, qualified Ameri-
cans are less keen to 60 to Asia,
Africa or Latin America. On the
other hand, nearly every top
flight academic figure from all
parts Of the world wants the
chance to visit the United States.
Just a few teen-age exchanges
occur. and some educators believe
that this part Of the academic
program should be expanded on
the theory that an American ex-
perience would make q lasting
impression on students of high
school age whose ideas have not
become too fixed.
The leader-specialist program,
concentrating on the exchange Of
influential adults, Is generally
agreed to be . marked success.
Ten years ago last month,
President Truman signed the
Smith-Mundt Act originating this
exchange of opinion-formers. To-
day some 800 leaders, such as gov
eminent officials, top figures in
education. religion and labor. edi-