Having served on the Board of Directors for almost three years now I have seen the education system of Nepal up close and personal and met an array of talented individuals from both Nepal and the US. It is an honor to continue to serve my role in the development sector of eduction in Nepal, witnessing its change and contributing to its potential. We are a by a bi-national Board of Directors consisting of ten members that manages the overall policy of USEF, it's management and future objectives. This board, or a subcommittee thereof, also reviews all applications and selects the American and Nepali Fulbright scholars and students. The board consists of five Americans appointed by the United States Ambassador to Nepal (who is Honorary Chair of the Board of Directors of the Commission in Nepal), and five Nepalis appointed by the Government of Nepal.
The Commission for Educational Exchange between the United States and Nepal (also known as the United States Educational Foundation – Nepal (USEF-Nepal) or the Fulbright Commission in Nepal) was established by an agreement between the governments of the United States and Nepal in 1961 to administer educational exchange programs in Nepal. The Commission is headed by an Executive Director who has administrative and managerial responsibility for all of the Commission’s operations.
The Fulbright program is designed to promote mutual understanding between the people of Nepal and the people of the United States through a wide exchange of knowledge and professional talents shared through educational activities. In addition to bringing American students and scholars to Nepal to lecture and conduct research, the Commission provides Fulbright and other educational grants to Nepali students and scholars for study, research, and lecturing in the U.S. Since 196, close to 700 Nepalis have gone to the United States and close to 600 Americans have come to Nepal under auspices of programs administered by the Commission. Supplementing the Fulbright grant program, the Commission also administers the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship programs, assists with East-West Center programs and other grant programs funded by the Department of State and seeks to support independent educational exchange activities by maintaining educational advising services for Nepali students.
