Principal opens Fulbright Summer Institute

The Fulbright Summer Institute will run from 22 July to 11 August 2012, with the academic theme based on leadership and sports. It runs alongside the popular King’s College London Summer School. The programme has been designed in collaboration with the King’s Summer Programmes Office and the Institute of North American Studies , and has been made possible by donations to the King’s College London Annual Fund.

Professor Sir Rick Trainor, Principal and President of King’s, attended the launch event on Sunday 22 July to welcome six Fulbright Scholars from the USA. The students will be participating in an Olympic-themed programme designed to use sports as a lens through which to explore different meanings of leadership and competition.

Professor Sir Rick Trainor, Principal of King’s, with Fulbright Scholars at the launch.

The student group was welcomed by Rebecca Cobby, representing the Fulbright Commission, and the programme convenors Uta Balbier, Institute of North American Studies, Alexander Heinz, King’s Summer Programmes Office, and Jason Luger, PhD candidate in the Geography Department. King’s students in American Studies will act as student mentors for the visiting American students.

The Principal said in his opening remarks: ‘We’ve put a great emphasis, especially in recent years, on internationalisation and international relations at King’s. Fulbright plays a key role in fostering our strong academic links to the United States. The new Fulbright UK Summer Institute will also showcase the work of the Institute of North American Studies at King’s in building partnerships with the USA and encouraging staff and student mobility.’

Michael Scott-Kline, Director of the Fulbright Programme, said: ’We’re delighted that more American students will have the opportunity to experience life at one of the UK’s top universities. The King’s College London Summer Institute will offer everything that we would hope for in a Fulbright exchange: a challenging academic component, a rich and multifaceted cultural experience and an enthusiastic host. The Institute will play a key role in deepening the relationship between our two countries and add something new and exciting to our 63-year old institution.’

Uta Balbier, Coordinator of the Institute of North American Studies, said: ‘I’m delighted to be involved in developing the first Fulbright Summer Institute and welcoming American students to King’s. It’s the start of what promises to be a very exciting year for the College, as we expand our activities in the United States and provide more opportunities for collaborations with partner organizations.

She added: ‘For the students on the programme, it really is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be studying the different cultural and political dimensions of the Games in an Olympic host city.’

For centuries, sport has been a training ground for many important life skills such as cooperation, teamwork, fairness, dignity, integrity, and effort. What happens in sports often mimics what happens in real life, and vice versa, whether in the business world, through interpersonal relationships, or in the political and diplomatic realm. Leading experts from King’s and outside partners such as from the US Embassy will contribute to the Fulbright Summer Institute teaching and cover topics from urban planning, sports history, to cultural diplomacy and British politics.

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Getting a Head Start: Learning about Leadership through the 2012 Olympic Games
22 July and 11 August 2012