Fulbright Finland ...for the Future From the Executive Director According to a statistic recently released by The Chronicle of Higher Education, Finland has the 11th largest U.S. Fulbright Scholar Program in the world. Among 155 countries participating in the international Fulbright program globally, this is no minor achievement. It is important, however, to recognize the reason for this success: the cooperation and partnership with Finnish universities. All Finnish universities participate in the funding of the U.S. scholars that they host through the Finnish-American Fulbright Program, and many have signed a long-term agreement with the Fulbright Center on extensive sponsorship. Additionally, private foundations have joined forces with the Fulbright Center and higher education institutions to provide additional support. This principle of cooperation holds true throughout all programs and activities of the Fulbright Center. The Finnish-American Fulbright Program is unique because it is so fundamentally a joint effort. As the year 2013 draws to a conclusion, I want to sincerely thank every institution, every individual, and every alumnus and friend who during this past year has generously donated their time, talent, and treasure for the benefit of our program. We are deeply grateful. It is thanks to you that our program is among the largest around the world. And it is together with you that we can and will build the program even bigger. I am very pleased to announce Fulbright Finland… for the Future — a three-year campaign with the immodest aim of expanding our program’s reach even further to better respond to the global challenges. The campaign runs from January 2014 through December 2016 and offers more opportunities than ever before to support the program and to be a part of the activities… details will be unveiled in January 2014. We are honored to set off our campaign with the words from our Honorary Chair, Ambassador Bruce J. Oreck (p. 2), who so rightly concludes, “the opportunity has never been greater”.
It is difficult to comprehend the scope of change over the past 60 years. Not merely has every facet of our lives been impacted by technology in ways that only science fiction writers dared to predict, but the acceleration in the rate of change has forced us to accept adaptive and disruptive thinking as the new norm. Apply the scope and speed of change to a world population that has almost tripled since the founding of the Fulbright program and it is immediately clear that the amplitude of change is unrivaled in human history. Sixty years ago, United States Senator J. William Fulbright unflinchingly stared into the future and saw both its challenges and its opportunities. He said, “We must dare to think 'unthinkable' thoughts. We must learn to explore all the options and possibilities that confront us in a complex and rapidly changing world.” His namesake program was established to create global citizens – those who dare to address universal problems with innovative solutions. The Finnish-American Fulbright program has become an exemplar of those goals. It has been recognized for its remarkable successes, the strength of its partnerships and its broad alumni support. Having already grown, on a number of measures, among the largest worldwide, the Finnish-American Program holds the immodest aim of expanding its reach even further to better respond to global challenges and shape the minds that will find the solutions. You can be a part of this future. I urge you to recognize your potential to change the world around you, and I urge you to become a partner of the Finnish-American Fulbright Program. I dare you to think “unthinkable” thoughts and confront this changing world. The need has never been more compelling and the opportunity has never been greater. Let 2014 be the year for you to shape the future.
Be a part of our story and invest in the future… invest in Fulbright Finland. With my sincere thanks and best wishes for the Holiday Season! Terhi Mölsä
H.E. Bruce J. Oreck Ambassador of the United States to the Republic of Finland