The US-UK Fulbright Commission was founded in 1948 by its namesake Senator J William Fulbright. Supporting Fulbright’s belief that peace and prosperity are a result of cultural immersion, the exchange programme allows people from the US and UK to gain a deeper cultural experience, ultimately promoting "joint ventures for mutually constructive and beneficial purposes".

As part of the Fulbright Commission, US students have the opportunity to study at Lancaster and, in turn, our students can study at universities in America.

University of Kentucky graduate, Yvonne Johnson tells us about her experiences in the UK studying our GCHQ accredited Cyber Security Masters programme.

“As an undergraduate, I was fortunate enough to participate in a Fulbright Summer Institute exchange in Scotland. I spent five weeks at two different universities discovering the Scottish identity and being immersed in the culture. That amazing experience made me want to return to the UK, so when it came to applying for a Masters programme, my search began here.

“Through the Fulbright Commission, applicants chose only one university they would like to study at. I was drawn specifically to Lancaster because of the reputation of both the University and the programme. For one, Lancaster is a triple top ten university, so I knew I would receive a great education. Other major factors included the programme’s GCHQ accreditation and multidisciplinary approach.

“As well as studying a range of interesting, diverse modules, and working on my dissertation on penetration testing contactless smart cards, I’ve got involved with the Aikido, Red Rose Refugees and Ethical Hacking societies. I’ve also been writing and performing at The Storey Institute as part of their Spotlight sessions. I really want to take this opportunity to get involved and try as many new things as possible.

“Since coming to Lancaster in September, I’ve visited many fantastic places. I’ve been to the Lake District National Park, Northern Ireland to do a Game of Thrones tour, and explored the Jurassic coast. I visited some beautiful cities, too, like York, Oxford and Bath.

“I’ve had a lot of valuable experiences so far, but there is still plenty of things I’d like to do before going back to America. In particular, having been to England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, I’d like to visit Wales as well. And, while I’m in the North West, I really want to hear a genuine scouse accent!

“Studying in the UK, and at Lancaster, has been wonderful. It’s a beautiful place to live and I love the Lake District, which is close by. I’ve met so many great people and gained new perspectives on important topics related to my study, such as data protection and data privacy. This academic and cultural experience has really supported and enhanced my learning and me as a person.”