On 11 June, jointly sponsored by Sichuan University and American Fulbright Foundation, the “Fulbright-Sichuan University Dialogue” was held in Sichuan University. Prof. Zhao Changwen, Vice President of Sichuan University and Mr. Jeffrey Graham, political & economic consul and cultural consul of United States Consulate in Chengdu, attended the meeting. Fulbright experts from the United States and Sichuan University, heads of relevant departments of Sichuan University, scholars, experts and students from related specialties attended the meeting.
Vice President Zhao Changwen addressed at the welcoming ceremony. He congratulated on the holding of the lecture on behalf of the university and extended warm welcome to participating guests. He said that the year 2010 was an eventful year for China-US economic and cultural exchanges and the achievements made by both countries were obvious to all. He maintained that scholars should make greater contribution to maintaining sound bilateral relations between China and US to benefit the peoples of both countries. This meeting gathered experts and scholars on political, economic, law, history and management fields of both countries to exchange and discuss research results made by China and US in establishing and improving public health security system, tackling financial crisis, probing government policies and innovating government modes. This lecture was of greater significance in a context of economic globalization, joint efforts by world governments to deal with financial crisis, recover economy and proactively innovate government service modes, and the stress on and guarantee for people’s rights. Zhao commented that Fulbright - Sichuan University Dialogue set up an important platform for experts of two countries to strengthen academic exchanges. He hoped that both sides could learn from history, look to the future, seek common ground while reserving differences, so as to make due contribution to Chinese people and American people, as well as people of the world.
Mr. Jeffrey Graham extended congratulations on this dialogue successfully held at Sichuan University. He reviewed the achievements both countries had made in cultural and educational exchanges and focused on introduction of basic information on Fulbright Program, especially on the efforts and fruitful achievements experts of both countries had made in academic exchanges and experience sharing. Consul Mr. Jeffrey Graham remarked that the “China-US Experts Lectures” sponsored by American Fulbright Program Foundation served as an important educational exchange program between China and the United States aiming at promoting communication and understanding between the two countries. It also served as a very good cooperative platform for both American and Chinese experts and scholars. He hoped that American and Sichuan University Fulbright scholars could further strengthen academic research in their respective fields and enhance exchanges and cooperation with each other in the meantime. By so doing, both sides could create more forward-looking, practical insights to make contribution to the cultural and educational exchanges between the two countries.
During the lectures, Fulbright scholars on both sides focused on “Healthcare Cause in China and US”, “2008 Global Financial Crisis”, “Evolvement of and Governance Comparison between Chinese and American Governments” and “Norms of 21 Century World Order” and had extensive and in-depth discussions and exchanges.
News Background:
“Fulbright Program" was launched in 1946 after the name of an American senator Fulbright. As an important educational exchange program between Chinese and American governments, Chinese MOE and American embassy to China are jointly responsible for the program through negotiations and cooperation management on equal basis. The purpose of the program is to promote mutual understanding between countries though educational and cultural exchanges. Since its implementation in China in 1979, the program has played very positive role in talent education, teaming building and disciplinary development for Chinese higher education institutions. Presently, the program is made up of two parts: lectures in China by visiting American experts and advanced study in America for Chinese scholars. The disciplines covered by the program mainly include liberal arts, social sciences, management and law.
Contents of the program: teaching in China by Fulbright scholars; short-term lecture tours by Fulbright experts, and overseas study for Chinese scholars funded by the program.
