Mobilizing a global alumni network to accelerate the deployment of proven, problem-solving technologies and other solutions.
From Little Rock to 160+ countries, GSI partners with Fulbright alumni to match urgent problems with ready-to-scale solutions in energy, water, food, environment, and health/public safety.
Empowering Global Collaboration Through the Fulbright Network
The Global Solutions Institute (GSI) Fulbright Initiative engages the worldwide Fulbright alumni community to help deploy technologies that already work—faster, at scale, and where they’re needed most. Alumni serve as trusted local conveners and connectors between technology providers, investors, policy leaders, NGOs, and in-country implementation partners.
Why It Matters
- Closes the “last mile” gap between invention and widespread use.
- Activates influential alumni—many serve in government, business, academia, and civil society.
- Creates real deployment channels, not just research pipelines.
- Scales impact across developed and less developed regions, cities and island states, and corporate sustainability programs.
It takes a long time between when you invent something and when it gets fully deployed. — Bill Gates
The Fulbright Initiative focuses on the deployment part.
How It Works
Fulbright alumni form GSI Fulbright Committees in their countries to:
- Pull solutions in: evaluate technologies that succeeded elsewhere and determine local applicability, partners, and needed financing.
- Push solutions out: surface home-grown solutions for consideration by other Committees and GSI partners.
- Signal needs: alert GSI/GTED2 to pressing local problems for targeted solution-matching.
GSI supports Committees with playbooks, model bylaws, outreach templates, and introductions across our global network.
Regional Centers (U.S.-based)
Each year ~3,000 Fulbright Scholars study at U.S. universities. GSI is establishing Fulbright Regional Centers with campuses to brief Scholars on forming Committees when they return home.
- Regional Centers host low-lift briefings (venue + coffee/lunch).
- Universities provide nearby campus lists (~150-mile radius); the State can help identify current Scholars for invitations.
- First Regional Center MoU (May 22, 2019): UC Irvine’s Center for Global Leadership & Sustainability.
Connected Platforms
- GTED2 (Global Technology Expo for Deployment Demonstration): where solutions are showcased, vetted, and matched with deployment partners.
- GSI Network: investment funds, NGOs, city alliances, universities, and corporate leaders that create financing and “sales channels” for scale.
Country Committees (the “two-way street”)
Milestones
- 2012 – Little Rock: Club de Madrid + P80 Group → Little Rock Accord; Implementation Task Force formed to mobilize investment and partners.
- 2016 – Global Solutions Summit (Little Rock): Fulbright alumni gathered; plan announced to mobilize alumni worldwide via a GSI Fulbright Program.
- 2017 – Washington, DC: Panel at Fulbright Association Annual Meeting spotlighted the Initiative (participants included Senator Mark Pryor and leaders from Citibank, Heifer International, SEAF, and others).
- 2019 – Irvine, CA: MoU signed to create the first GSI Fulbright Regional Center at UC Irvine.
Partners & Coordination
GSI coordinates with the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, U.S. Department of State, Fulbright Association, University of Arkansas Fulbright College, and the Fulbright family, along with NGOs, investment groups, and global networks aligned with technology deployment.
Are you a Fulbright Scholar or Alumni?
We would love to connect with you!