The U.S. government fulfilling its commitment to invest in Pakistan’s future continues, as 140 Pakistani students gear up to travel to the United States under the largest exchange programs of any U.S. embassy in the world. These students are fully funded as part of the U.S. government-funded Global Undergraduate (Global UGRAD) Program. U.S. Embassy Minister Counselor for Public Affairs Peter Brennan applauded these students for grabbing this golden opportunity to represent their country in front of students from all over the world, concentrated in the U.S.
The program that is administered by the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) will enable 140 students to study for a semester at different colleges and universities in the U.S.
The Executive Director of USEFP, Rita Akhtar illuminated the way in which students from such diverse backgrounds across the country were chosen for this once in a lifetime opportunity as most of these students came from remote areas, which are economically challenged. This year’s group of students included 63 students from Punjab, 35 from Sindh, 16 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 10 from Gilgit-Baltistan, five from Balochistan, three from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, six from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and two from Islamabad. 60 percent of these students are women and will pursue degrees in a wide variety of disciplines, including humanities and social science, engineering, science, law, art and design, economics, and business administration at more than 50 different colleges and universities located throughout the United States.
The Global UGRAD program was initiated in 2010 under the USEFP, which was established in 1950 by the governments of Pakistan and the United States to promote cultural and educational relations. Through the Global UGRAD program 4,100 Pakistanis and 873 Americans have participated in the USEFP-administered exchange programs.
