University hosts brightest US students

Some of the brightest postgraduate students from the US have praised a prestigious day-long cultural programme hosted by Cardiff University.

The 45 students are studying in the UK as part of the global Fulbright Programme which promotes cultural understanding through educational exchange.

The University was the venue for the first day of the annual Fulbright Forum in which the students took part in activities including a session on Welsh history, culture and language and a campus tour.

This year’s forum was hosted by Global Wales – a partnership between Universities Wales, Welsh Government, British Council Wales and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales - with the aim of promoting Wales’ higher education sector on the international stage.

The students also visited the Senedd, Millennium Centre and Principality Stadium as part of a three-day programme arranged by Global Wales.

They are joined by 15 Fulbright Scholars who are US academics undertaking research in the UK.

Victoria McCraven, Fulbright student, said: “I’ve learned a huge amount about Welsh culture, and am learning more about the links between Wales and US universities.”

Sheridan Clement, Fulbright student, said: “Wales is one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to. It was interesting to learn about the political culture in Wales, and the way that Wales forges its own path politically.”

The Fulbright Programme is one of the most prestigious of its kind in the world operating in over 150 countries.

Around 15,000 UK nationals have studied in the US and more than 12,000 US nationals in the UK on Fulbright educational exchange programmes.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Colin Riordan is a Fulbright Commissioner and has sat on the Fulbright Board since 2014.

He also represents Wales on the Fulbright Commission following the agreement of a partnership between the Commission and Global Wales in May 2019.

Professor Riordan said: “The University is a long-standing partner so it’s a real pleasure to welcome the US-UK Fulbright Commission here and an honour to host the first day of the forum.

“The programme encourages Fulbright students - amongst the most talented in the United States - to gain a deeper understanding of other cultures and the world around them.

“We’re giving them a warm Welsh welcome and helping them to appreciate the incredible depth of culture, history and much else that Wales has to offer.”