Annual Report 2015-2016 Introduction The first bilateral agreement promoting educational exchange between the US and The Netherlands was signed and put into effect in 1949. The Netherlands America Commission for Educational Exchange was formed in 1972 as a successor to two separate entities: the US Educational Foundation (USEF) in the Netherlands (active since 1949) and the Netherlands- America Institute (promoting educational exchanges with the US since 1946). From 1949 until 1972 the US government provided the major part of the support to the Fulbright Program and related activities, from 1972 onwards, the Dutch government supported the activities with a contribution of a more or less equal amount. According to the treaty, both governments should cover the costs of the Commission for 50% each. The US government covers the sizable administrative expenses for the Fulbright Program in the US. The Commission s Board of Directors adopted a proposal to use the name Fulbright Center in all communications, starting June 1, 2004, although the official name of the Commission remains the same. The objective was to increase name recognition and to better convey the idea of the Commission as a national center of expertise. Name recognition is high in academia, but much lower in other sectors of society. Period covered This report covers the period October 1, 2015 until September 30, 2016. Primary Objectives The Fulbright Center s primary objective remains the creation and administration of educational exchange programs in order to promote mutual understanding between Dutch and American citizens. The Center continues to make a strong effort to maintain the prestige of the Fulbright Program; to pursue fund-raising opportunities to make funds available for additional grants; and to reach out to underrepresented populations. Fulbright Program The Fulbright Center administers the Fulbright Program from its office in Amsterdam. The program serves as a key agent for mutual understanding between Dutch and American citizens. A measure of Fulbright's success in the Netherlands is the fact that many leaders in Dutch politics, journalism, education, science and industry are program alumni. Since 1949, more than 4,600 American and Dutch citizens have been awarded Fulbright grants. Fulbright program: content and scope The Fulbright Center continues to work toward strengthening contacts with Dutch institutions of higher education and enhancing program support. Most grantees in the program are in the social sciences and humanities, including American and Dutch studies, reflecting the premise that these fields are most conducive to enhancing mutual understanding. A special program component is the lecturing and research awards for US scholars in American Culture and Society. In early 2014, Minister Jet Bussemaker suggested that the Center could organize a group visit exchange for Dutch teachers to the US to learn best practices and enhance their professional development. The Bureau for Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State reciprocated Annual Report Fulbright Center 1
by agreeing to fund the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program, which aims to host US primary and high school teachers at Dutch educational institutions. During the period this report covers, the Center organized the second group visit of Dutch teachers in November 2016 and arranged for 6 American grantees to start their grant in The Netherlands in January 2017. The Center also started preparations for the introduction of the English Teaching Assistants Program, a part of the Fulbright Student Program that is already running in 77 countries and enables US students to gain teaching experience while at the same time offer support to schools in teaching English. Fulbright is more than money The Fulbright Center regards a high degree of service to the recipients of Fulbright grants as an essential part of the program. Participating in the Fulbright Program means much more than just receiving a nice amount of money in your bank account. Fulbright grantees are expected to act as ambassadors for their country and as such, they are given as much support as possible to play their role well. Dutch students receive support in the form of orientations and preparatory courses in the US. During their stay they are invited to regional conferences and events and can take part in seminars and conferences, as well as special social and cultural events, organized by their host institutions. American students and scholars receive assistance in the form of orientations, midand end-of-year evaluation sessions. They participate in social activities offered by the Fulbright Center and the Netherlands Fulbright Alumni Association (NFAA). Both in the US and in Europe, grantees can take part in enrichment activities. In The Netherlands, Fulbright students may take part in a speakers program and are invited to high schools to speak about particular topics such as the presidential elections, immigration and diversity issues. Basic support from both governments The Fulbright Center receives structural financial support from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State as well as from the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. The Educational Advising branch of the US Department of State provides a small amount of additional support. The legal basis for these subsidies is the Bilateral Agreement between the Dutch and American government, signed in October of 1972. Substantial in-country support from the US government At the request of Executive Directors of Fulbright Commissions, the Bureau for Educational and Cultural Affairs has provided insight in the costs of the Fulbright Program incurred in the United States and funded by the US government. These costs include the administrative fees paid to the two cooperating agencies, namely the Institute of International Education in New York (IIE) and the Council for the International Exchange of Scholars in Washington D.C. (CIES), as well as the costs made for insurance, conferences, day-to-day support, evaluations, impact studies etc. The estimated costs for the Dutch grantees to the US and the US grantees to The Netherlands is $ 388,097. This figure is not reflected in the financial report of the Center, but based on data provided by the US government. Close cooperation with Netherland-America Foundation In 2001, the New York-based Netherland - America Foundation (NAF) and the Fulbright Center agreed to hyphenate their long-running programs under the auspices of Fulbright. In 2015-2016, the NAF funded a total of 10 Dutch and 7 US students. The NAF-Fulbright grants are paid directly to the Dutch students in the US and are therefore not included in the financial report of the Fulbright Center. The NAF organized special enrichment activities for the Dutch recipients during their stay and social events for its alumni both in the US and in the Netherlands. 2
Holland American Friendship Foundation The Holland America Friendship Foundation, a private foundation based in Amsterdam, provided financial support for Dutch graduate students to receive a Fulbright grant. Its support enabled the Fulbright Center to award a total of 5 grants to Dutch students in 2015-2016. The HAFF receives its income from a bi-annual fund raising dinner under the title Night of the Stars the stars being the Fulbright grantees. Direct support from corporate sponsors Elsevier B.V. supported 2 Fulbright grants for a Dutch PhD student to carry out research for their dissertation. Although other corporate organizations such as law firms could be approached for financial support as well, no suitable candidates were found for the grants they offered. Small foundation support The Fulbright Center does not actively seek support from small foundations. However, if foundations wish to hyphenate their grants to students or researcher, the Center is open to do so on the condition that the grants fit with the criteria of the Fulbright Program and the funder is willing to let the Center handle promotion, selection, payment of the grant and offering supporting activities. Two such hyphenated grants have been awarded in 2015-2016, namely the Fulbright- Tjallingh Roorda Foundation Grant and the Fulbright - New Netherlands Research Center Grant. The first is a small private foundation that aims to support research in the medical field; the second a US based research institution in the field of Dutch-American history. Hyphenated grants Dutch universities support the Fulbright Program by hyphenating one or more grants for international students to the Fulbright Program. Maastricht University was the first to do so in 2010. Other universities have followed suit. In the 2015-2016 academic year the following universities offered hyphenated grants: VU University Amsterdam (4 grants), Maastricht University (2), Erasmus University Rotterdam (1), Technical University Delft s Faculty of Applied Sciences (1). A special new grant in this category was developed in cooperation with the Mauritshuis in The Hague and will enable a US painting restoration student to take courses at the University of Amsterdam s Restoration Department and practice his or her skills in the Mauritshuis, funded by the US based Friends of the Mauritshuis. Non-governmental Fulbright Program sponsors In addition to the financial support made available by the foundations and other institutions mentioned above, the Center received additional financial support from Netherlands Fulbright Alumni Association and the Ivy Circle, both alumni organizations. Leveraging Most Dutch and some US Fulbright grant recipients receive additional funding from other sources than the Fulbright Program. In quite a few of these cases, this support is the direct result of the awarding of a Fulbright grant. Dutch universities have lowered or waived their tuition fees. Also some US universities have lowered their fees when they were informed of the award. Private foundations that provide grants and loans sometimes base their decision on the fact that the applicant has been awarded a Fulbright grant. Often grantees are not sure whether or not the decision to give them extra money was the result of the receipt of a Fulbright grant. Therefore, this leveraging effect can only be expressed as an estimate. The total effect is estimated at 156,000 in 2015-2016. 3
Decision to increase the grant level for Dutch students The grant level for Dutch students has been the same for over ten years. The costs of study in the US have gone up, which means that the relative value of these grants has decreased. The Center also found that there was a slow but steady decline in the number of Dutch applicants and found that the cause of this might be the lower value of the grant, among other factors. The Board of the Center decided to increase the grant level from $ 12,500 to $ 20,000, starting with grants to be awarded for the 2017-2018 academic year. All sponsors have been asked to increase their grant level also. The Netherland - America Foundation has agreed to do so, but will give less grants. Fulbright Program alumni The Netherlands Fulbright Alumni Association (NFAA) organized events for alumni, such as a Thanksgiving dinner and various smaller meetings and get-togethers. The association functions independently from the Fulbright Center but has agreed to adapt its fee policy so that fund raising efforts of the Fulbright Center will not compete with annual fees requested from NFAA members. The Center has in turn agreed to fund most of the activities of the NFAA and lends services to the association such as invoicing members who wish to take part in certain activities. Fulbright Association US based alumni of the Fulbright Program may become a member of the Washington D.C. based Fulbright Association. This organization has developed into an important lobbying institution to help protect the Fulbright Program from budget cuts and to further the strength of the program in the United States. Enrichment activities The Fulbright Center offers high schools in The Netherlands the opportunity to request a US student who received a Fulbright grant to visit the school and participate in classroom teaching. This gives the Dutch high school pupils a chance to practice English and learn a little bit about the US, and the Fulbright students get a chance to visit various places in the country and become acquainted with life at Dutch high schools. The number of requests from school outnumbered the available US students. During 2015-2016 US program year, Fulbright grantees paid a total of 12 visits to Dutch high schools, reaching out to 1,145 students. Other Activities Educational Advising The Fulbright Center has developed into a national center of expertise regarding American (higher) education and functions as a documentation and information center. It adheres to the high quality and ethical standards of EducationUSA. These standards require that the Center provide objective, impartial and complete information in an accessible way, receiving money from US institutions to recruit students is not acceptable and staff and volunteers must work in the interest of the client by giving suitable advice and assistance. Basic information on study in the US is given for free, but a fee may be charged for individual tailor-made advice. The Center offers expertise in such diverse fields as admission tests, visa, financing, suitable placement at US colleges and universities, health insurance and topics such as recruiting students from The Netherlands for graduate law programs. Representatives of 29 US colleges and universities visited the Center. The adviser also trained a volunteer corps to visit high schools and assist the staff during large events, as well as two senior volunteers to host the Center s information sessions. 4
The Center s website received an average of 6,780 unique visitors per month, slightly more than the year before. During the spring and fall, the Center organized a total of 22 regional information sessions, which attracted 1,037 visitors. Staff and volunteers were present at educational fairs organized by high schools and universities and reached out to 7,493 visitors. The staff of the Center answered 1,573 questions asked per e-mail and 918 by phone. The Ivy Circle, a group of alumni of U.S. universities, together with the Fulbright Center, organized a college fair in Amstelveen. A total of 32 US fee paying colleges were present and 304 students and parents visited the fair. From the proceeds, two scholarships of 2,500 each were awarded to high school seniors, to help prepare for admission to US colleges. The Center was asked by the EducationUSA section of the Department of State to organize a fair for law schools. The fair took place in early November of 2016 and attracted 19 law schools. The Center also collaborated with the BuitenlandBeurs to organize a presence, with the US Consulate General, during a two-day event about study abroad for Dutch high school and university students, also in November 2016. The Center cooperated with NWS (Nederlandse Wereldwijde Studenten) both through lecture series during the BuitenlandBeurs as well as presence during the NWS Scholierendag. Campus Scholarship Program The Campus Scholarship Program targets Dutch senior students at vwo-schools to enable them to study at an American liberal arts college by arranging placement and a sizable reduction of the costs. Although private exchange organizations offer similar programs, what distinguishes the Fulbright Center from all other programs is that the Center operates on the basis of fees from parents and does not accept fees from host institutions, so that it can offer participants a choice of universities suited to the needs and preferences of the student. The high level of service to both students and parents is another distinguishing feature of this program, much valued by parents and students. The program also functions as a fishing pond for future Fulbright grant applicants and can boast a large number of well known alumni, ranging from writers and journalists to CEO s and politicians. The cost of this program is balanced by income received from participation fees. Participation increased from 32 in in the year before, to 47 in 2015-2016. Special programs and services The Center offers students a number of special services, such as test practice, assistance in obtaining visas for internships, and tailor made advising services, which help Dutch students study in the US for diploma programs or other purposes. Internship Visa Program Obtaining the documents to request the proper exchange visa is an obstacle for many international students. The Fulbright Center has an Agreement of Cooperation with the Council for International Educational Exchange (CIEE), based in Portland, Maine, the largest US provider of services for international students who wish to do an internship in the US. Students who have arranged a work placement in the US are offered the chance to participate in the Internship Visa Program for assistance in obtaining the proper visa. They are charged a cost covering fee. In 2015-2016 the Center arranged new visa for 67 Dutch students, and for one trainee, and 3 extensions. This is an increase of 14 compared to the year before. Prometric Test Center The Fulbright Center started this service in April 2014, offering students the opportunity to take admission tests such as the GRE, GMAT and TOEFL. Prometric, one of the largest test developers in the world, develops and sells these tests and guarantees a steady flow of test takers. About half 5
of the tests were admission type tests, such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Other tests include skills and knowledge tests for the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO), as well as a variety of other tests. Income received more than covered the costs of the test center. Intensive Summer Program for young minority students Since 2006, the Fulbright Center participates in the Intensive Summer Program for European Student Leaders, now called Study of the US Institute for European Student Leaders, a program sponsored by the Department of State and open to participants from 19 European countries. A total of 5 Dutch students participated in 2016 in three different programs. One program was offered in the field of environmental stewardship, one in the field of civic engagement and the third in the field of social entrepreneurship. Board Members of the Fulbright Center Executive Committee Ms. Pauline van der Meer Mohr (Chair), until January 1, 2016 Ms. Marjan Oudeman (Chair), President Erasmus University, Rotterdam, from January 1, 2016 Ms. Jill Adler J.D. (Co-Chair), East-West Parliamentary Practice Project, Amsterdam Mr. Jan Petit (Treasurer), owner and director of ProFonte, a philanthropy consultancy company Mr. Robert Anderson (Alternate Treasurer), Deputy Public Affairs Attaché, US Embassy, The Hague, until June 2016 Mr. Adrian Pratt (Alternate Treasurer), Deputy Public Affairs Attaché, US Embassy, The Hague, from June 2016 Other Board Members Dr. Paul Broholm, Director of Investments, Theodoor Gilissen Bank, Amsterdam Ms. Femke Halsema, Former leader of GroenLinks, Chairman Stichting Vluchteling, Amsterdam Mr. Volkert Doeksen, Chairman & Managing Director, Alpinvest Partners, Amsterdam Dr. Jan Willem Gunning, Emeritus Professor of Economics, VU University, Amsterdam Dr. James Kennedy, Dean of Utrecht University College, Utrecht Dr. Ruth Oldenziel, Professor TU Eindhoven, Associate Professor Universiteit van Amsterdam Dr. Abiodun Williams, President The Hague Institute of Global Justice, The Hague Staff The Fulbright Center has a highly qualified staff of eight people. Six staff members hold Master s Degree. Mr. Marcel Oomen Executive Director Ms. Fabienne van den Bor Educational Adviser Mr. Bart Bulthuis Test Center Administrator Mr. Reinier Nieuwenhuis Test Center Administrator Ms. Manon Kolsteren Campus Program Officer Ms. Linda Pietersen Fulbright Program Coordinator Mr. Kenneth Lalji Financial Administrator Ms. Ramona Saya Internship Visa Program Officer / Administrative Assistant 6
Financial facts and figures 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 Income US government contribution 273.876 242.357 293.726 292.603 Dutch government contribution 408.000 388.000 368.000 368.000 Third party income 289.250 + 435.956 + 604.069 + 616.633 + Total income 971.126 1.066.313 1.265.796 1.277.236 Expenses Fulbright grants 313.705 383.108 418.973 413.816 Operational expenses 581.200 666.264 743.302 793.305 Exchange loss/profit 9.613+ (17.580) + 3.670+ (4.680)+ Total expenses 904.518 1.033.791 1.165.945 1.202.441 Result for the year 66,608 32.522 99.851 74.795 Total equity 635,512 668.034 767.885 842.679 General comments Apart from the government contributions, the Center has two other main sources of income named third party income, i.e. contributions from sponsors such as friendship organizations like the NAF and the HAFF and universities, and income received for non-fulbright programs and activities. In the first category, there are 15 sources of income; in the second 11 more. The government contributions have remained stable compared to the year before and third party income has increased slightly. Although the result for the year was somewhat less than the year before, equity has grown to a comfortable level. Around 50% of the equity is a buffer that can be used in case the main sources of income would suddenly dry up and commitments still needed to be honored. The other half can be used at the discretion of the organization, to use for various purposes such as program development, staff training, or eventualities. Operational expenses Operational expenses consist of administrative expenses for the Fulbright Program, but also expenses to carry out all other activities. Not all grants paid are recorded in the books of the Fulbright Center but are paid directly by some of our sponsors to the grantees. If these grants are shown, the picture is as follows: Fulbright grants: As recorded in annual financial report: 413.816 Not recorded, but paid directly: 88.832 + Total amount of grants 502.648 Operational expenses Fulbright Program: 331.092 Operational expenses for the Fulbright Program include the costs of staff, office as well as programmatic activities. They are made to administer the core program, i.e. grants for students and scholars, but also to administer other Fulbright programs such as the US Specialists Program (short stays of US professors), the Fulbright-Schuman Program (grants for research and study in the US and vice versa), the Fulbright-Hays Program (grants for stays in multiple countries), the Intercountry Program (small additional grants to US scholars in Europe), the Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program and all preparatory activities for the English Teaching Assistants Program. Although financial data for some of these activities are known, such as the grants for the Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program, for most of the non-core activities the grants are awarded by other countries or agencies and the exact costs are not known. It would, however, be incorrect to compare the operational expenses for the administration of the Fulbright Program with the total 7
amount of grants awarded and conclude that the Fulbright Center spends 331.092 to manage a grant program of 502,648. If such a comparison must be made, then it is fair to look at the total picture and to include the full impact of the work of the Center. This includes grant amounts that are known, such as for the Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program as well as the leveraging effect (how much money grantees receive as a direct result of being awarded a Fulbright grant) and all other Fulbright-related activities. Total amount of core program grants 502.648 Distinguished Awards in Teaching 185.841 Intercountry Program 2.500 (estimate) Leveraged grants 200.000 (estimate) US Specialists Program 20.000 (estimate)+ Total 910.989 Operational expenses 331.092 Operational as % of total expenses: 36,3 % Grant recipients receive benefits, such as a free health insurance, cost-free visa and residence permit, participation in orientations and seminars, social activities such as local and regional get-togethers. They do not have to pay the mandatory SEVIS fee and the application fees for their visa. Most of these costs are incurred in the US and paid by the US Department of State. If the total costs in the US for the Fulbright Program (excluding the grants for the Distinguished Awards in Teaching) are shown as benefitting the Fulbright grant recipients, then the ratio of operational expenses compared to total expenses is lower. Grants, direct and leveraged 910.989 Benefits to recipients 178.097 + Total all benefits 1.089.086 Operational expenses 331.092+ Total expenses 1.078.505 Operational as % of total expenses 30,7 % In conclusion: the ratio of operational expenses towards the total financial impact of the program can be estimated at 30,7%. Summary of program participants and users of services Fulbright Awards Dutch scholars 2 Dutch graduate students 15 Dutch promovendi 11 US Teachers 3 US scholars 2 US students 20 + Total number of grants: 43 Other Programs Ivy Circle Grant 2 Campus Scholarship Program 47 Individual Counseling Service 10 Teacher Exchange 20 Summer Institutes 5 Internship Visa Program 71 + Total number of participants/grantees: 155 Educational Advising Direct advising contacts: Number of visitors 109 Number of mail responses 1,573 Information session visitors 1,037 Phone calls / Skype sessions 918 Fairs, schools visited 7,493 + Total direct advising contacts 11,130 Indirect advising: website and social media Website visitors 81,360 Facebook friends 1,805 Twitter followers 1,012 + Total indirect advising contacts 84,177 8
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