Statement on Diversity and Inclusion
The Commission for Educational Exchange between the United States, Belgium and Luxembourg is fully committed to creating and maintaining an environment that embraces and celebrates diversity and inclusion among its staff, applicants, grantees and alumni. The Fulbright Commission does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, religion, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity and actively promotes academic, professional, and linguistic diversity.
In both the hiring of staff and the selection of grantees, we strive to recruit a pool of Fulbright applicants that represents the full diversity of the United States of America, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the European Union across all of these dimensions, and encourage the participation of traditionally underrepresented audiences.
The Fulbright Commission staff is fully committed to ensuring that diversity and inclusion remain a priority throughout the selections process and that all Fulbright grantees are treated with respect and fairness throughout the duration of their grant. Upholding this goal of diversity and inclusion allows the Fulbright Commission to carry out its mission of promoting cultural exchange, diplomacy and understanding between the people of the United States and the people of Belgium, Luxembourg, and the European Union.
Our Values in Action
The Fulbright Commission in Brussels takes its commitment to diversity and inclusion seriously. We have taken concrete steps to promote the application of candidates from underrepresented backgrounds, to update our selection process, and to provide support and resources to grantees of all backgrounds.
- Selection process: In 2018, we evaluated and updated our selection criteria to better reflect the priorities of the Fulbright Commission and to more accurately evaluate candidates outside of traditional academia. In 2019, we took this process one step further by developing additional training resources for our review panel and selection committee members in order to address and reduce instances of implicit bias in selections.
- Staff training: In 2019, we began offering targeted programming for Fulbright Commission staff members on questions of diversity and inclusion. Our staff members are now better able to support grantees of diverse backgrounds.
- Grantee benefits: In 2020, we took a hard look at our awards and made recommendations intended to make the program more accessible to American applicants of all socioeconomic backgrounds. These changes include an increase in the monthly stipend for participants in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, the addition of personal finance and budgeting resources to our Pre-Departure Orientation, and a more flexible approach to start-up costs.
- Grantee programming: In 2019, we supported the launch of a year-long grantee-led initiative for roundtable discussions on questions of diversity and identity. This initiative will become part of our regular programming starting in the 2020-21 academic year. In addition, we have partnered with student initiatives like Fulbright Noir and Fulbright Prism on additional in-person and virtual events.
Want to know more? Questions and suggestions may be addressed to info@fulbright.be.
Race & Identity Discussion Groups
The Race & Identity Discussion Group is a recurring, one-hour session organized by Erica Lutes on behalf of the Fulbright Commission in Brussels in which participants reflect on and discuss a chosen piece of reading or media centered on a specific topic within the context of race and other identities with the intent of bringing diversity and inclusion to the forefront of Fulbright Brussels’ mission and work. These sessions give people in the Fulbright community and beyond the Fulbright community, a chance to deepen their theoretical knowledge and understanding of issues related to racism and identity as well as practical tools and resources for action and advocacy within Fulbright and each participant’s personal and professional lives.
For more information, please send an email to events@fulbright.be.
February 25, 2022
Speaker: Jeremy Gombin-Sperling
December 16, 2021
Speaker: Sibo Kanobana
November 16, 2021 Speakers: Mattias Decoster and Sven Van den Bossche
June 25, 2021
Speaker: Dr. Stef Craps
May 12, 2021
