Fulbright U.S. Education Center

This post is prompted by an article in The Korea Times today entitled “Online College Fairs Benefit Students Overseas.” If only it were that simple!

The fact is that the emerging information age, with all of the information potentially placed at one’s fingertips via the internet, both fixed and mobile, is no panacea.  It does not do away with older media or eliminate the need for face-to-face interaction.  It most certainly does not lessen the importance of a localized, Korean-language approach in recruitment of students here in South Korea.  Moreover, a new online or “virtual” fair, like the one being promoted in The Korea Times article, does not automatically confer trust, credibility or prestige on that entity.

On that cautionary note, and partly because of it I should tell you that we at Fulbright Korea, in cooperation with EducationUSA, have decided to launch our own virtual study in the U.S.A. fair in the Spring of 2011.   Our virtual fair will draw on the new power of the internet and digital media, but its value will not rely exclusively on them.  We will be  publishing the basic structure and format of the fair within a matter of weeks and it will be announced, with fanfare, in this blog.  Please consider this the first of several posts, intended to create a dialogue with our many current and prospective U.S. partners, on just what can and cannot be accomplished in cyberspace, or with a virtual fair.

Please consider this short post an open invitation to send in your questions and suggestions.

James F. Larson, Ph.D.
Deputy Director
Fulbright Commission, Seoul

Over the past decade, the number of U.S. Study Fairs held in Korea has increased dramatically.  In addition to fairs hosted by such organizations the Linden Tour, the MBA Tour, AIEF or the American Association of Community Colleges, there are also focused efforts such as Study Philadelphia and Destination California.  What all U.S. study fairs have in common is that they work with Fulbright’s U.S. Education Center.  We provide them with a range of services including hosting of their Korean-language websites, online preregistration, logistics, briefings on the Korean education sector, and onsite services during the fair.  This section of the blog will be devoted to outlining the services we offer and answering any questions you might have about them.  With the increase in the number of study fairs visiting Korea, we believe that Fulbright has a key role to play in the planning, scheduling and promotion of these events.