Archiv historisch-wissenschaftlicher Publikationen der Fulbright-Kommission öffentlich zugänglich gemacht

These archives bring together 56 years of scientific and academic cooperation between Portugal and the USA. Taking up 38 linear meters, the 416 boxes contain documents that provide insight into activities in the fields of Philosophy, History, Science Policies, and International Relations. The Fulbright heritage includes minutes, plans, reports, registers of pupils and fellows, financial administration documents, correspondence, and photographs, among many others.

All documents are available to read in paper, in English or in Portuguese, and also online through the platform of the Archive of Science and Technology (ACT, abbreviation in Portuguese). In 2014 the Fulbright Archives were integrated into the ACT, now in charge of its organization, treatment, and raising awareness of the heritage it contains.

Since the Fulbright program began in Portugal in 1960, more than two thousand students and university lecturers from Portugal and the USA, representing several academic fields, have received Fulbright funding. The current President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, is a Fulbrighter.

Present at the presentation of this project were the Secretary of State for Science, Technology, and Higher Education, Maria Fernanda Rollo; the Fulbright Executive Director, Otília Reis; the President of the FCT Board of Directors, Paulo Ferrão; and the researcher who carried out the inventory of the archive, Cláudia Filipe, from the Institute of Contemporary History (FCSH-UNL).

Maria Fernanda Rollo believes“this is a project that dignifies the good relations between Portugal and the USA.” In addition, the Secretary of State reinforced that“the Fulbright historical archives should be considered a ‘common property’ which the Ministry should promote and ensure its digital and physical preservation.”

The President of FCT, Paul Ferrão, highlighted two aspects. First, the good relations established between FCT and the Fulbright Commission, housed in the FCT building since 2014, and secondly, the crucial contribution of the ACT team to this project.

Credits: Fulbright