Culture and Education

Cooperation between Mongolia and the US in the cultural and educational field has increased steadily. Since its initiation in 1989, the cultural and educational cooperation between the two countries has started and expanded by promoting Mongolian culture through scholarly and research works rather than exchange of artists and concerts. Over the years there has been exchange of performances, however a few of these were coordinated on the government level. The Mongolian Government together with the Smithsonian Institution is preparing to stage and introduce its’ cultural heritages at the 2015 Folklife festival. Mongolian traditional culture and heritages, nomadic ways of life and all that represent Mongolia will be shared with the American people.

The interest of American scholars, researchers and explorers in Mongolia is documented to as back as the early 20^th century with the expeditions of Roy Andrew Chapman and his crew in the Mongolian Gobi Desert. Many of the Mongolian Studies that existed at US universities have diminished in the past years and the only one that is operating today is at the Indiana University in Bloomington.

A significant promoter of Mongolian cultures in the US is the annual Mongolian Studies Conference that was initiated in 2007 by the Mongolian Cultural center, a non- profit organization. In 2013 the Mongolian Embassy in cooperation with the Mongolian Cultural Center organized the 7^th annual Mongolian Studies conference. Today it has become one of the most significant events in the US for many scholars and researchers who work with Mongolian studies.

Through the US Embassy in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia the US Government conducts and facilitates programs such as the Study in the US and Fulbright Scholar/Student Program. The Fulbright Program started in Mongolia in 1994 and has given students from Mongolia the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research in US educational institutes. In 2009 the Mongolian Government announced its intention to contribute $1 million U.S. dollars to support the exchange of students and scholars under the U.S.-Mongolia Fulbright Program. Since 1994, more than 100 Mongolian students have taken privilege of this program.

Mongolia and the US continue their joint efforts to promote greater exchange opportunities, to encourage more students from both countries to consider studying abroad, and to encourage collaboration between American and Mongolian universities.