WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Institute of International Education-Ukraine (IIE Ukraine), administrator of the Fulbright programs in Ukraine, has been approved for membership in the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC), the USUBC executive committee announced today on behalf of the entire USUBC membership of over 135 companies and organizations who have business operations, investments or other development programs in Ukraine.

The Institute of International Education-Ukraine is one of a network of 18 international offices around the world led by talented and dedicated international education experts. Each office utilizes strong networks of colleges, universities, and NGOs in the region to implement initiatives driven by key regional needs as well as the goals of sponsors; these offices are central to administering many prestigious global programs.

In addition, IIE administers 14 Regional Educational Advising Coordinators who provide training, resources and mentoring to support the U.S. Department of State's network of EducationUSA advisers around the world (including a coordinator in Kyiv responsible for Eurasia). Founded in 1919, IIE is is among the world's largest and most experienced international education and training organizations.

The Institute of International Education's Ukraine Office in Kyiv was established in 1998 to administer the Fulbright Program in Ukraine. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and Ukraine's declaration of independence in 1991, an independent Fulbright program was created in Ukraine. The goal was and remains to increase the mutual understanding between people of the United States and Ukraine through scholarly and research exchanges.

Since its founding in 1992, the Fulbright Program in Ukraine has sent more than 700 Ukrainian scholars, students, and young professionals from Ukraine to the United States for study or research. At the same time more than 400 U.S. scholars and students have visited Ukraine to teach, consult with universities, and conduct research.

Presently the IIE Ukraine office works exclusively with a full range of Fulbright programs for Ukrainian and U.S. students and scholars, managing and administering the awards of approximately 100 grantees per year (www.iie.org/en/offices/kyiv). In addition, the office, with a staff of nine, supports the Ukrainian Fulbright Association, an active organization of Fulbright Program alumni, which now total more than 700 Ukrainian and more than 400 U.S. students and scholars.

IIE Ukraine also supports access to a range of international educational and training programs and services, including TOIEC and TOEFL ITP testing. The office is ready to work with Ukrainian institutions of higher education, NGOs, and public and private firms to develop appropriate short- and long-term educational and training programs in Ukraine and abroad.

The Ukrainian Fulbright Association, together with the Fulbright Program in Ukraine and support of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, organizes annual conferences focused on important issues in Ukrainian society; publishes scholarly articles and monographs by its members, as well as occasional volumes of conference proceedings; awards small grants for travel to conferences, organization of seminars and workshops, and other activities; and provides a very important platform for social and intellectual intercourse among Ukrainian scholars and intellectuals.

FULBRIGHT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED IN 1946
Established in 1946, the Fulbright Program is the oldest and most prestigious international program for exchange of scholars and students funded by the United States government. Today it supports academic exchanges with 155 countries of the world. However, it was not always so, especially within the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Initially, the USSR did not participate in the Fulbright Program or any other exchange programs with the U.S.

Only in 1958 President Dwight Eisenhower and Premier Nikita Khrushchev signed the General Exchanges Agreement, establishing U.S.-USSR exchanges. In 1968 the International Research and Exchanges Agreement, establishing U.S. – USSR exchanges. In 1968 the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) was created to administer these academic exchanges.

However, it was not until the 1973-74 academic year that the Fulbright Program was finally established in the USSR. During the ensuing two decades only a small number of American scholars were able to visit Ukraine under these programs, and very few scholars from Ukraine became Fulbright and IREX scholars and studied in the U.S.

MYRON O. STACHIW, DIRECTOR (U.S. Fulbright Scholar, 2004-2006)
Myron O. Stachiw is the Director of the Fulbright Program in Ukraine through the IIE Ukraine office. There have only been three directors of the Fulbright Program in Ukraine: Dr. William Gleason 1999-2000; Dr. Martha Bohachevsky-Chomiak 2000-2006; and Myron O. Stachiw, who began in 2006.

An archaeologist and historian by profession, Myron has worked extensively throughout the eastern U.S. with a wide variety of museums, historical agencies, and universities before participating in the Fulbright Program as a scholar and then taking over the post of director.

Myron recently told USUBC, "On November 5-6, 2010 the Fulbright Program in Ukraine and the Ukrainian Fulbright Association will be conducting their 13th annual conference on the topic 'Ukraine as Seen by the World: Aspirations and Realities.'

The plenary session on Friday afternoon, November 5, will focus on Ukraine's place and standing in the world (socially, culturally, economically, politically, strategically, etc.), how it is understood (and misunderstood) by other countries, how the Ukrainian diaspora interacts with the world and with Ukraine, recommendations on future steps and policy directions, according to Stachiw.

"I have known Myron Stachiw and about his outstanding work with the Fulbright Program in Ukraine since he arrived in 2006, "said Morgan Williams, Director, Government Affairs, Washington Office, for the SigmaBleyzer Private Equity Investment Management Group, who serves as President of the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC). "The U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC) is very pleased to have the opportunity to work closely with Myron and the Fulbright Program in Ukraine. Myron will represent IIE Ukraine on the USUBC board of directors."

For more information on the complete Fulbright Program in Ukraine, administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE) - Ukraine, go to www.iieorg/en/office/Kyiv and to http://www.fulbright.org.ua.

USUBC HAS TWENTY NOT-FOR-PROFIT (PRIVATE VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATION-PVO) MEMBERS
USUBC is working closely with these outstanding not-for-profit organizations for the advancement of our common goals related to Ukraine. They are the American Councils for International Education (ACIE), DAAR Charitable Foundation; The Eurasia Foundation, International Tax and Investment Council (ITIC), Kennan Institute, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Kyiv Mohyla Foundation of America (KMF), Open World Leadership Center at the U.S. Library of Congress, The Washington Group (TWG), U.S.-Ukraine Foundation (USUF), and the Ukrainian American Bar Association (UABA).

The PVO (not-for-profit) members of USUBC also includes the Ukrainian-American Environmental Association (UAEA), Ukrainian Federation of America (UFA), U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation (CRDF), the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council (UACC), the International Division of the Department of Business and Economic Development of the State of Maryland, The Bleyzer Foundation (TBF), the Foundation for International Arts and Education (FIAE), People First Foundation and the Institute of International Education - Ukraine (Fulbright Program administrator).

USUBC MEMBERSHIP NOW OVER 135 AND STILL GROWING
One-Hundred Thirty-five Members, Sep 2010, Membership in January of 2007 was 22.
The complete list of USUBC members can be found at: http://www.usubc.org/members.php.