Dr. Michael Thrasher, Troy University’s Dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts participated in the Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) Seminar in Germany from October 7-19. A group of 15-17 other administrators from across the country completed the seminar, which provided an overview of the recent developments in higher education in Germany through lectures, discussions and campus visits. This marks the first time a current TROY dean to be chosen for a Fulbright award.
“The opportunity to undertake a Fulbright Award to Germany was an incredibly enriching experience,” Dr. Thrasher said. “My time there allowed me to learn about the inner workings of another country’s higher education system and to make important connections with higher education leaders in Europe.”
Besides furthering their professional development and establishing new partnerships, participants of the seminar also discussed the current challenges in higher education for both countries.
“While I found striking differences between the German and American systems, I also discovered that we have much in common and much that we can share with one another,” Dr. Thrasher said. “One of the most obvious differences is that there are no tuition charges at most German universities, which makes attending college much more accessible for students. Institutions do not emphasize organized, competitive sports like American schools do, and there is less overall attention on formal student advising. On the other hand, like American universities, German schools value the traditional three-fold mission of teaching, research, and service. They are working very hard to support student mental health, which seems to be a global challenge. Like Troy University, most German institutions seem to be deeply committed to international education.”
Thrasher hopes that the connections made during the seminar will encourage TROY to send and receive students from Germany. According to the German-American Fulbright Commission, over 40,000 Fulbright Scholars have participated in the program for the past seven decades, making it one of the largest bilateral Fulbright programs.
Fulbright is a program of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program, which operates in over 160 countries worldwide.
In the United States, the Institute of International Education implements the Fulbright U.S. Student and U.S. Scholar Programs on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit https://fulbrightprogram.org.
