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Today, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs recognized ËÄÉ«AV University of ËÄÉ«AV Sciences for being a Top Producer of Fulbright U.S. Scholars among Special Focus institutions. ËÄÉ«AV was one of only 11 Special Focus institutions recognized.  

Manas Mandal, PhD, professor of pharmaceutical sciences for ËÄÉ«AV’s College of Pharmacy, was selected for a Fulbright award for academic year 2023-24, receiving a four-month grant to teach in the Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy at , a public university located in Greater Cairo, Egypt beginning in fall 2023.  

Mandal, who recently returned to ËÄÉ«AV’s Henderson campus from Egypt, said, “It was a dream come true experience for four months, and I’m grateful to ËÄÉ«AV College of Pharmacy for its support and encouragement to avail myself of this opportunity.” 

During his time at Helwan University, Mandal taught three undergraduate and postgraduate courses in microbiology and immunology. He also presented several seminars on diverse topics such as faculty mentoring, autoimmune diseases and hypersensitivity reactions, and presented at two symposiums focused on COVID-19. 

Mandal was also invited by the Fulbright Commission in Egypt to present to clinical pathologists from the Central Laboratories of Egypt “Human Immune System in ËÄÉ«AV and Disease” at the Princess Fatma Academy of Cairo. He was also invited to travel to Alicante, Spain for the first Mediterranean Fulbright Symposium where he presented “Importance of Science Communication and ËÄÉ«AV Equity in COVID-19.”  

Dr. Mandal’s selection for the Fulbright U.S. Scholars program followed months of evaluation and consideration by the Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, a presidentially appointed 12-member board responsible for supervising the Fulbright program worldwide and approving the selection of all Fulbright recipients. 

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international academic exchange program. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided over 400,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals of all backgrounds with the opportunity to study, teach, and conduct research abroad. Fulbrighters exchange ideas, build people-to-people connections, and work to address complex global challenges.  

In addition to his Fulbright U.S. Scholar grant, Mandal has been a Fulbright Specialist since 2019. After a delay due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, in 2022 Mandal traveled to Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, Goa Campus, where he taught infection, immunity, and immune-based therapeutics with a focus on COVID-19. He also worked with BITS faculty to organize a successful two-day symposium entitled “COVID-19 Pandemic, Lessons Learned, and Way Forward.” 

Celebrating today’s announcement, ËÄÉ«AV University President Renee Coffman, PhD congratulates Mandal’s impactful contributions globally, reinforcing the ËÄÉ«AV’s dedication to excellence in education, research, and collaboration.  

“Dr. Mandal’s involvement in the Fulbright U.S. Scholars program and his role as a Fulbright Specialist since 2019 exemplify ËÄÉ«AV University’s mission to educating current and future generations of health professionals, not only in our communities, but around the world,” said Coffman.  

“Fulbright’s Top Producing Institutions represent the diversity of America’s higher education community. Dedicated administrators support students and scholars at these institutions to fulfill their potential and rise to address tomorrow’s global challenges. We congratulate them, and all the Fulbrighters who are making an impact the world over,” said Lee Satterfield, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs.   

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.  

Fulbright alumni work to make a positive impact on their communities, sectors, and the world and have included 41 heads of state or government, 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 80 MacArthur Fellows, and countless leaders and changemakers who build mutual understanding between the people of the United State and the people of other countries.  

 For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit