1 week Ago
The prompt denial by the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) regarding the rumoured termination of Fulbright scholarships should offer some respite. However, it also serves as yet another reminder of how swiftly misinformation spreads in our digital age — so swiftly, in fact, that facts are often left playing catch-up. The Fulbright Programme has long been a prestigious channel for academic exchange and intellectual diplomacy, and the reassurance that Pakistani scholars remain supported is welcome.
But the larger question remains unaddressed. Even if the scholarship continues, how do students and their families place their trust in a system that is rapidly showing signs of institutional erosion? Recent developments in the US, from restrictive immigration policies to the policing of campus activism, have cast long shadows over the idea of American academia as a haven of free thought and global citizenship. With irrational laws gaining ground and educational spaces no longer immune from political polarisation, the experience of international scholars, especially those from the Global South, becomes increasingly precarious.
Four-day Thar jeep rally 2025 kicks off in Nagarparkar We cannot ignore the fact that these universities are becoming environments where support feels conditional and where learning is often second to compliance. The erosion of values that once defined both American education and its global standing is not just unfortunate — it is deeply telling. The prestige of a degree or the legacy of a programme means little if students do not feel safe, respected, and intellectually free.
At this rate, it will not be misinformation that ends the relevance of such institutions — it will be the truth, loudly knocking. We hope Pakistan continues to support its scholars abroad, but also begins building academic excellence at home, so no student must rely on a crumbling promise to access opportunity. Tags: cracks credibility.
