Are you looking to share the Fulbright spirit after completing your program year? If so, then the FOLD Symposium is the right resource for you—and we’re currently accepting proposals for the 2026 FOLD Symposium!

FOLD stands for Fulbrighters Of the Last Decades. Fulbright Austria started the FOLD Symposium as a means of supporting alums interested in organizing an event to explore topics that are relevant to them and that they are passionate about. The aim is to empower alums from different fields of study and program years to further our mission—independent of Fulbright Austria—by fostering community-building, promoting networking and exchange amongst the community, and increasing the visibility of the Fulbright Program and the local Fulbright Austria alum community.

You can also watch this video to learn more from a staff member and an alum who organized a previous symposium: 

Only Fulbright Austria alums are eligible to be symposium organizers and leaders. All Fulbright Austria alums are encouraged to apply for sponsorship, either on behalf of a Fulbright alum organization or on their own.

The structure of the FOLD Symposium is flexible. Alums are free to choose the format that best fits their proposal, from panel discussions to concerts to museum tours.

Fulbright Austria sponsors one FOLD Symposium per year. The funding provided by Fulbright Austria—up to €2,000—is intended as financial support for catering, venue rental, and technical support at the venue. Applicants are encouraged to seek additional funding from other sponsors. 

Symposia rotate between Austrian provinces each year to highlight diverse regional perspectives and partnerships.

We welcome proposals from all Austrian provinces—except the most recent host province.

Recent locations:

• 2024: Upper Austria
• 2022: Vienna

Symposium proposal submissions are due by 1 November 2025 to be considered for sponsorship from Fulbright Austria in 2026.

You can download a PDF that includes the basic information contained on this page about the FOLD Symposium as well as a list of all the sections required in your proposal and the timeline from proposal submission to execution. For further inquiries, please email Mitch Sims, our alumni relations manager. And be sure to check below for the recap of the 2024 FOLD Symposium and a photo album from the 2022 FOLD symposium.

FOLD Symposium 2024