BRINGING FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS BACK TO SAUDI ARABIA

UNCLAS RIYADH 001269 SIPDIS PLEASE PASS TO NEA/PPD WDOUGLAS, DBENZE; NEA/ARP BMASILKO; ECA/A TFARRELL; ECA/A/E RSWENSON, MMCMAHON; ECA/A/E/NEA DIVES E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO SA SCUL SUBJECT: BRINGING FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS BACK TO SAUDI ARABIA REF: SECSTATE 90822 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: With the Emergency Action Plan essentially complete and the return of adult dependents authorized for Saudi Arabia, post considers this an appopriate time to resume the Traditional Fulbright Scholar Program in this country. We request authority to reactivate the U.S. grantee component of the Fulbright Exchange Program - suspended as of April 26, 2004 due to instability in the Kingdom - and would appreciate ECA making every effort to recruit suitable scholars for the 2009-2010 academic year. END SUMMARY ¶2. (U) In recent months, officers in Riyadh and Jeddah have received numerous unsolicited requests from strategic Saudi Arabian institutions eager to host U.S. scholars in residence. While welcoming any U.S. scholars in fields pertinent to MSP goals, we recommend an initial recruitment strategy focusing on the following disciplines: American Studies, Archaeology, Business Administration, Corporate Responsibility, Economics, Educational Administration and English Language Curriculum Development. ¶3. (U) Please advise any additional Mission action necessary to formally reactivate the Traditional Fulbright Scholar Program in Saudi Arabia. GFOELLER