On Wednesday, June 15, recently selected Fulbright Belgium, Luxembourg and Schuman grantees took part in a pre-departure ceremony and other programs in preparation for their 2016-2017 scholarship terms.

At the pre-departure orientation at the U.S. Embassy to Belgium held early afternoon, Executive Director Erica Lutes welcomed Fulbright grantees who are going to study, teach or conduct research in the United States in the upcoming fall. The orientation started with an informative presentation by the Fulbright staff on practical details about studying in the U.S., from academic programs, financial matters to visa-related information. Two Fulbright alumni, Jasper Bossuyt and Paulien Detailleur, contributed to the discussion, sharing their past experiences studying and working abroad, and responding to questions and concerns from the newly minted scholarship recipients.

Following the orientation, grantees convened at the residence of United States Ambassador Bauer for a reception and panel discussion, the latter co-organised with the Otlet Salons and entitled “Navigating Intellectual Property Rights, Nanotechnology, and Art.” The guest speakers, two of them Fulbright alumni, each shared their views on the importance of property rights and their implications on various fields, from art to material science. The event also presented the opportunity for Fulbrighters from all generations (with 1958 being oldest class year present) to connect and continue to develop a supportive Fulbright community.

More photos of this event can be found on the Flickr page.