Read the full 2022 Year-in Review newsletter HERE
Dear cherished friends of Fulbright University Vietnam,
It seems just like yesterday that we held our Convocation for the Undergraduate Class of 2026 and our Class of 2024 Master in Public Policy students. In just four months, we concluded the Fall semester, new faculty and students have settled in, and many of us are already engaged in planning for the next academic year. Soon, our first graduation will be upon us, giving us much to celebrate as many of our students leave and start making new impacts on their endeavors. It has been a special year, and this is a special message; please allow me to reflect on our past journey and give way to what has yet to come.
Powered by the faith that knowledge and education are the foundation for development and transformation, a small group of us, with support from the Vietnamese and U.S. governments, continued the tradition of the Fulbright Economics Teaching Program to establish Fulbright University Vietnam in 2016. Early in the formative stages, the founding team worked tirelessly to determine what Fulbright hoped to achieve as a new, young university in Vietnam, and to identify priorities that were fundamental to our establishment. In each step, the focus was on what would be required to elevate the University to the next level of national, and in the future, international stature. A theme that went across the entire institution was the need to recruit an ever more diverse and outstanding cohort of faculty and students, enhance teaching, research, and public service programs, and continue to improve facilities even beyond what is deemed the best in Vietnam.
Starting from ground zero, we are now blessed with almost 700 undergraduate students, 200 Master in Public Policy students, and more than 90 faculty members. In just a few more months, we will have our first group of graduates, joining more than 1580 alumni from the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management to form a close-knit community of Fulbrighters, ready to take on the world. This milestone has not come about by magic or by luck but has resulted from important choices and hard work from each and every person at Fulbright.
Speaking of our people, I do not even hesitate to affirm that we at Fulbright have grown in many ways since the first day of our establishment, and in one way or another, that growth is likely to continue. We are an active, exciting community filled with individuals from varied backgrounds pursuing goals that are as ambitious as they are diverse. It means we have our differences. But instead of avoiding them, we learn to treat each other with respect and kindness. And I trust that this culture has been instilled in our community strong enough so that in the future, no matter how much we expand, in numbers or in space, we are still one Fulbright, one community, sharing one mission: “To create the next generation of change-makers in Vietnam for a rapidly evolving world.”
And our first generation of change-makers will leave our nest in June.
My dear students of the Class of 2023,
I still cannot forget the way I felt as a student on graduation day. I remember the rows of empty chairs neatly laid out on the quad, waiting for us, new graduates in our caps and gowns, to fill them out one by one. I remember the heartfelt conversations, the laughs and the tears, and the promises to keep in touch even when school was over. But more importantly, I remember a sense of accomplishment, an eagerness to charge into this world of the unknown, proving myself and my worth. In just a few months, that will be you.
Within the scope of this letter, I would like you to take a moment to pat yourself on the back for the dedication, perseverance, and inspiration you have demonstrated so far. Take a moment to remember and acknowledge the joys, the challenges, and the gift of friendship you have made on your journey. Take a moment to breathe and enjoy the last months of your student life because you will miss it, or at least I did.
Thank you for believing in Fulbright and being a part of our community. I have no doubt that the sky is your limit. But when you are in doubt, just know that we are here for you, now and always.
My dear friends,
My journey with Fulbright University Vietnam has been action-packed, emotion-ladened, and fulfilling. In the past eight years, I got the opportunity to renew old friendships, make new ones, and more importantly, live and breathe in the air of young, talented, bright students. And I appreciate deeply the good wishes and the offers of help that extend our way in our moments of joy or challenge.
On my final, personal note, I just want to say that I am tremendously proud to be associated with this University, with you. I am certain that the next President will continue driving this University forward to meet the vision that the founding team envisioned eight years ago.
For now, in this new year, please join me to bid farewell to something old, welcome something new, and be open to something change.
With the sincerest gratitude,
Dam Bich Thuy
President, Fulbright University Vietnam
Read the full newsletter HERE.
Dear cherished friends of Fulbright University Vietnam,
What is the greatest gift you have ever received in life? As the festive season is all around us, it’s the question that members of the Fulbright family find ourselves smiling and reflecting upon, as we look back to yet another eventful and doubtlessly, extraordinary year for the university. Whether it’s lifelong friendship, the spirit of camaraderie and community, or the gift of educational opportunities – and along with it, the privilege to serve and contribute to society’s common good, Fulbright students and their achievements are, to us, the underlying reason that makes life at the university never short of wonders, pride, and thankfulness.
This month, our Student Affairs and Services offices were delighted to host an appreciation night for our “endeared sparkling gems”, where Fulbright undergraduates were treated to an intimate award ceremony shined with unforgettable performances from members of the Fulbright Music Club, the Luminous and Fulbright Theater rising stars. From the Best Student Residential Assistants to the Wellness Ambassador of the Year to the Most Influential Sports Club and the Excellent Club Presidents, among others, the event celebrated Fulbright students’ contributions to a campus that’s both academically and empathetically enriching for their fellow friends, faculty, and the Fulbright community in general.
My dear friends,
The gift that we give and the gift that we receive can oftentimes overlap. As Mr. Nguyễn Phương Lam, a generous supporter of Fulbright University Vietnam, said in a conversation we had earlier this month: “For those who give, in the true spirit of giving, they feel very glad and happy, because what they receive in return are intangible values that money can’t buy”.
Alongside his gift to help Fulbright establish the Nguyễn-Phương Family Scholarship for our undergraduate students, Mr. Nguyễn Phương Lam has also dedicated himself to building training programs that further enrich the Fulbright’s community as well as the lives of Vietnam’s youth. He told us: “In all my [philanthropic] work, I don’t think about legacy or how my name will be remembered. I’m nearly 70 this year; and what I’m concerned about is how humanity will continue to live on this planet. Naturally, you and I want to leave behind a future that’s sustainable and good for our children. And we should do everything in our capacity to ensure it.”
That vision of how we can change the status quo and ensure a sustainable future for our next generation is also an intrinsic value deeply imbued in Fulbright’s undergraduate and graduate programs. Recently, Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management (FSPPM) was pleased to deliver the course “Geospatial Technology in Feasibility Research of Renewable Energy in Vietnam” in Ninh Thuan province to local policymakers, leaders and experts from the private sector, as well as researchers and faculty members from universities across Vietnam. One of the course’s highlights was a lecture by Dr. Lâm Đạo Nguyên, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Space Technology Application Center, as part of the Vietnam’s Space Center and Academy of Science and Technology.
Sustainability was also one of the main issues discussed by Mr. Virginijus Sinkevičius, the European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, during his talk “Environment and Climate Change ” with our faculty and students at the Fulbright campus. As much as we were honored to learn from this distinguished guest, recently, FSPPM students were also treated to a special elective course called “Sustainability in a Polarizing World ”. Organized in collaboration with and included a five-day studying visit to the Harvard Kennedy School, the course allowed FSPPM students to learn, discuss and envisage viable solutions to tackle Vietnam’s eminent challenges concerning energy, trade, biological preservation and climate change with renowned professors from Harvard.
Such collaborative endeavors and generous gifts of education wouldn’t be possible without the friendship we have cherished, strengthened, and honored along the journey of Fulbright University Vietnam towards academic excellence, community contribution, and our desire and belief in the betterment of collective good. As such, from my perspective, the greatest gift that Fulbright University Vietnam has ever received is none other than our talented students, and our dedicated friends, who all believe in the power of how education can shape the future we all dream of, and how our humblest gesture and intention can change not only the lives of others, but our own.
With the sincerest gratitude,
Đàm Bích Thủy
President, Fulbright University Vietnam
Read the full newsletter HERE.
Dear cherished friends of Fulbright University Vietnam,
Among the many beautiful traditions long honored and celebrated in our country, my favorite has to be the Vietnamese Teachers’ Day, which falls on the 20th of November. On this special day, we pay respects to the people instrumental, and ever influential, in the educational upbringing that shape who we are, what we do, how we think and live today. This year, that special day was even more special as Fulbright University Vietnam successfully held on our campus the International Academic Conference on “Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc (Tonkin Free School) and Vietnamese Liberal Arts Education Model”, which began on November 19th, and concluded on Vietnamese Teachers’ Day.
At the conference, more than 20 scholars from Vietnam, Japan, Australia, Canada, and the United States arrived in person, or tuned in online, to present their papers and partake with Fulbright students and around 200 public guests in illuminating discussions that examined and expounded a wide variety of historical, philosophical, cultural and contemporary aspects surrounding the Tonkin Free School. Founded 115 years ago, the school’s pedagogic principles and its telling vision, in retrospect, still exert “far-reaching influence on the liberal educational traditions in Vietnam”, which can be traced back to the establishment of Quốc Tử Giám (“the Imperial Academy) – “an important milestone in the history of education in Vietnam” in 1076, according to Dr. Nguyễn Nam, Director of Fulbright’s Vietnam Studies Center.
My dear friends,
That very spirit of liberal arts once advocated by the Tonkin Free School – by making education accessible for all, that students should strive for the mastery of interdisciplinarity, and exercise without any constraints on their faculties for innovation, open thinking and critical reasoning – is a tradition now carried on and faithfully pursued at Fulbright University Vietnam.
This month, we’re also delighted to have hosted the conference titled “Transformations of the Global Social Nucleus: Thoughts on Family as Reflected in Taiwanese Cinema”, in collaboration with Autumn Meeting and the Taipei Economic and Culture Office in Vietnam. As much as we subscribe to the four pillars of education as proposed by UNESCO – learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together, and learning to be – the faculty and staff at Fulbright always reserve a special place in our hearts on the last two pillars when we develop the university’s liberal arts curriculum. Part of it is dedicated to how our young people can learn to understand and appreciate the arts, whose revelatory and transformative power to evoke, express, and reflect on human lives and conditions, is what we believe as invariably vital to the lifelong nourishment and cultivation of the soul.
In our continued efforts to make higher education accessible to young talents across the country, this month, Fulbright was pleased to announce two new scholarship programs – the Liberico Scholarship, which will be awarded to one student who demonstrates exceptional academic excellence and important engagement in impactful community activities; and the Bright Futures Scholarship, which supports incoming students whose families were or have been severely affected by the wars in Vietnam or elsewhere to study at our university.
These scholarships follow and uphold a well-honored tradition at Fulbright, that we’re unwaveringly working with private donors and generous philanthropists to ensure that opportunities are made equal and accessible to the best of young talents at Fulbright. As Mr. Nguyễn Phương Lam, a distinguished philanthropist in Asia who helped founding the Nguyễn-Phương Family scholarship at Fulbright as well as facilitating the Social Impact Business Accelerator Program, organized by Acumen Academy and Fulbright University Vietnam, said: “The ultimate, and most important question, […] is whether we are truly creating positive impacts for the world’s most underprivileged people. A social enterprise should reflect our personal search, and self-actualization, towards a higher purpose, which I deem crucial and fundamental for any of us who wishes to lead a meaningful life”.
With the sincerest gratitude,
Đàm Bích Thủy
President, Fulbright University Vietnam
Dear cherished friends of Fulbright University Vietnam,
That learning is a never-ending process, and it’s neither redundant nor too late to embark on a new chapter of one’s education, is something I live by throughout my whole life. It’s a lesson whose message rings even truer and more resonantly during my time with Fulbright University Vietnam. Given the relentless pace of change of the world, maybe you and I can both agree that we cannot, and should not, stay complacent when it comes to our education. The skills and knowledge of today can easily rust away in the blink of an eye, should we choose not to honor our intellectual insatiability.
This month, the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management held an intimate Convocation ceremony to welcome the Class of 2024 of the Master in Public Policy (MPP). For these 65 new graduate students, who have set aside sizable amounts of their personal resources to further their education, the pursuit of the challenging yet highly valued Master’s degree at Fulbright also means long-term commitment to the advancement of their skills and knowledge in an ever-evolving world.
While the world slowly recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, the assumption that the most difficult days are far behind us has been proven wrong, as new challenges arise and keep mounting around us. On the global stage, the vulnerability of our world is laid bare in the ongoing Ukraine conflict; and within Vietnam, it’s the palpability of recent socioeconomic strains and stresses. Despite this dour reality, Fulbright is proud of the fact we are host to a band of fearless students who still choose to carry forth with their education, to push forward a transformational shift when it comes to the enrichment and betterment of their skills and knowledge. As told by Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, MPP’s Class of 2023, in her welcoming remarks to the entering class of MPP2024, the pursuit of intelligence at Fulbright means a search for a flipped switch in our judgment and reasoning, a tectonic cultivation of our heart and soul towards a sense of higher purpose for our lives, our community and society at large.
My dear friends,
As it has always been our imperative to instill in our students the spirit of lifelong learning, Fulbright never falters in our commitment to broadening educational opportunities that can support our young people in their quest towards intellectual enlightenment and personal growth. At Fulbright, we’re constantly on the look for academic cooperation with local, and international, institutions and organizations of reputable scholarship. It is our conviction that students should be inspired by and aspiring towards the mastery of interdisciplinary studies, so that they can approach learning – and life – with agility and an open mind, along with the freedom that comes with truly understanding who you are and what you’re deeply passionate about.
Recently, Fulbright University Vietnam has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Centre for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE). The event marks yet another special moment for us as it strengthens the ties between a liberal arts university and an interdisciplinary research institution both established in Vietnam. Once put into effect, the agreement will enable Fulbright students to partake in a myriad of research projects, courses and training programs rooted in applied science, from which they can amass invaluable experience which will serve as a basis for their future contributions to enact positive change within their local communities.
In our continued efforts to facilitate a well-rounded academic environment at Fulbright – one that’s ever teeming with possibilities, enriched opportunities and campus vibrancy – we hope that for all our undergraduate and graduate students, their time at Fulbright will never be short of wonderment, through which our young people can discover their own voice and moral compass on their way to become informed and responsible citizens of today’s world and the world’s future.
With the sincerest gratitude,
Đàm Bích Thủy
President, Fulbright University Vietnam
Dear cherished friends of Fulbright University Vietnam,
This month, the Fulbright community welcomed with joy and delight the freshmen of the Class of 2026. The new school year of 2022-2023 also marks milestones of great significance in our burgeoning journey: this is Fulbright’s fifth intake of undergraduate students; and soon enough, we will have our very first batch of graduates, the Class of 2023. This is the moment we have been waiting for. And while it truly is the apotheosis of all of the efforts and commitments made towards Fulbright’s first crop of graduates, the event also reaffirms our conviction in building a world-class liberal arts university for a new generation that represents the future of Vietnam.
Earlier this month, Fulbright held the Convocation ceremony for the Class of 2026 students. My heart couldn’t help but overflow with happiness as I saw these young and talented hopefuls – their faces beaming with elation, their eyes a glitter of pride and avidity. From soulful performances that were composed, choreographed, and produced by the freshmen themselves to their impassioned stories shared at the ceremony, I truly believe the Class of 2026 represents a new generation who will no doubt carry forth the spirit of Fulbright, and make great strides for society at large.
For this new generation, Fulbright will be fertile ground for a liberal arts education that’s not only academically enriching, but also teeming with the cultivation of lifelong critical skills. How to break down stereotypes, challenge the status quo, and create the world the way they want it to be – these were the key ideas deeply expounded at our Convocation ceremony this year. Once they graduate from Fulbright, our young people will find at their fingertips a world full of extraordinary opportunities, and with them, huge responsibilities. For that reason, their four years at Fulbright will be the time wherein our students can hone in on becoming the best version of themselves, so that they can do well in a world now defined as volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous.
My dear friends,
At our Convocation ceremony, author and journalist Dinh Duc Hoang has argued in his keynote speech that the true purpose of learning is not about how our young people can get a job after graduation, but how they can build and develop a career in the next 30-40 years. The answer lies none other than in the pursuit of something called original knowledge. Contrary to borrowed knowledge, the path to acquire original knowledge demands rigorous contemplation, critical reflection, and purposeful self-actualization. Long and hard as it may be, this process will pave the road for a life that’s not only sustainable, but also leaving behind a legacy of contributing to a better world by each and every good deed big or small.
That sustainability can be attained through original knowledge is also a message resonating with our unflinching commitment to longtermism in “the Age of Now”. It is the sincere belief that the new generation counts, and that we must take seriously our role in the education of our young people who will in turn, shape the future they want despite all unforeseen changes, uncertainties, and the critics.
In a sense, Fulbright University Vietnam is in and of itself an exemplar par excellence of longtermism. Built on the deepened ties between Vietnam and the United States – a relationship once considered unlikely between two former adversaries, this young institution has become the very embodiment of our long-term commitment to the future of Vietnam, for we are making steadfast investment in the next generation of change-makers. I strongly believe that after eight years, Fulbright has cemented a solid foundation and a tight-knit community capable of spearheading future progress. As I will be stepping down from the presidency by Summer 2023, it will be the perfect moment to pass the torch to my next successor, who will lead Fulbright to a new chapter of growth and development. In the next five to ten years, the mission of Fulbright leaders will not be as it is today – for which new voices, perspectives and visions will prove crucial and vital to bringing the university to new heights. No matter who the next generation of leadership at Fulbright may be, I have full confidence that they will maintain and advance values so inextricable and distinguished of Fulbright – Vietnam’s first private, not-for-profit liberal arts university.
With the sincerest gratitude,
Đàm Bích Thủy
President, Fulbright University Vietnam
Read the full newsletter HERE.
Dear cherished friends of Fulbright University Vietnam,
This month, I had the pleasure of joining a special conference hosted by Fulbright University Vietnam, in coordination with the U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City, to celebrate 27 years of normalized diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United States. While it warmed my heart to hear Fulbright being cited as a paragon of the people-to-people ties that help strengthen the U.S. – Vietnam relationship, our discussion also revolved around the question of how the university can cultivate a new generation of Vietnamese who can further propel our future.
I believe the answer can be summed up in one word, space. Whereas Fulbright students enjoy a liberal arts education that’s intellectually rigorous and tailored to the demands of the 21st century workforce, they also need concrete space to employ and experiment with the skills they have acquired; to stretch their knowledge, dreams and imagination beyond the scope of schoolwork.
That is why alongside classes anchored in critical thinking and progressive ideas that most oftentimes lead to lengthy yet lively debates between faculty and students, our campus is also alight with student clubs’ get-togethers, student-led community projects, and internship opportunities – extracurricular activities we deem essential to the nurture of a wholesome academic curriculum at Fulbright.
Nonetheless, the room to grow for our students is not limited to experience on campus. Starting from the Spring semester of 2023, Fulbright undergraduates will have the opportunity to go on international exchange for an academic term at Bard College, New York, and/or the Singapore University of Technology and Design. This program is part of our continued efforts to build partnerships with leading institutions that exemplify the best of higher education within the region and across the world.
My dear friends,
The commitment towards excellence that can level, or rival, the standards set by prestigious universities and impactful international enterprises is a quality not only instilled in Fulbright students during their time on campus, but also integral to who they are and whichever endeavor they choose to pursue after graduation.
On August 6, the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management (FSPPM) held the commencement ceremony for graduates of the 2022 Master in Public Policy (MPP2022). Even though the two years of their quest to obtain a Master’s degree were marked, marred, and even scarred by a global pandemic, the MPP2022 graduates had demonstrated “exceptional courage, resilience, agility and determination” that “exemplified the very best of what we call the Fulbright spirit,” remarked Professor Pham Duy Nghia, MPP Program Director and Faculty Member of FSPPM, at the event.
When we liken the 2022 Class of Fulbright’s Master in Public Policy and the upcoming 2023 Class of Fulbright graduates to ships in full sail, the sentiment is based on an ethos constantly harbored and faithfully maintained at Fulbright: whereas our campus provides an open space where students can freely explore and unlock their potential, ultimately, that environment is cultivated with our utmost care and full awareness around the fact that these young people will be the architects of our future – to envisage, design, and build the urban and working spaces; the cultural, community, and academic spaces of our dream.
As a result, the space we cultivate at Fulbright also represents our concentrated efforts to evoke that feeling of home – a safe, nurturing nest for individual self-discoveries, innovation and academic excellence deeply rooted in the history and culture of Vietnam, yet fully embracive of the lessons learned and success stories across the globe. But we also know, the feeling of home is not solely confined to your birthplace. Home is also encapsulated in the set of humane and humanistic values engraved in your heart and soul. It’s something that you can carry and rely on regardless of where you choose to study, work, or dedicate your life to. For “home is […] the untold story of a life being lived”, to quote the late art critic and writer John Berger.
With the sincerest gratitude,
Dam Bich Thuy
President, Fulbright University Vietnam
Dear cherished friends of Fulbright University Vietnam,
The radiant summer has come with various academic and extracurricular activities at Fulbright, where students are well equipped with foundational knowledge and practical experience to become the next changemakers of Vietnam.
This summer, our Crescent campus is crowded with exciting events, ranging from the STEM summer internship program for High School for the Gifted VNUHCM students at Makerspace – a special space for Fulbright students to study engineering-related subjects, to the graduation ceremony of the Marketing Foundation for the Next Vietnamese Change-Makers course in collaboration with Young Marketers, just to name a few. Another highlight of Fulbright’s summer activities is the 2022 Fulbright Leadership Camp, the two-day off-site camp to Buu Long, Dong Nai Province enabling 50 campers, most of whom are student club leaders, to foster vital skills, become more aware of their individual leadership styles and lead positive change for the community.
From June 24 to 26, Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management (FSPPM) welcomed 29 participants, who are holding management positions in different sectors, to a short course on the implementation of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects. Different from the long renowned Master of Public Policy program, this PPP course is the first of its kind at FSPPM, yet still yields incredible feedback from the participants. With diverse backgrounds, the participants brought their unique perspectives to heat up the discussions about the case studies and scrutinize the economic, financial, and risk management aspects of a PPP project.
My dear friends,
We always believe that all students will enhance their learning through relevant experiential learning opportunities, and that will foster their creative thinking to solve real-world problems. That is why Fulbright always strives to offer and encourage students to venture outside of the classroom and explore their areas of interest, whether that be joining student clubs, applying for internships or boot camps, and making the most out of service-learning opportunities. On the one hand, we bring the world to Fulbright, where students can learn from the insights of international visiting scholars and speakers through formal coursework and informal engagements. On the other hand, we also bring Fulbright to the world, where students can seize opportunities to study abroad at our partner institutions across the globe, such as the exchange agreement we signed with Yale-NUS, the first liberal arts college in Singapore, last year. Đặng Thị Hoài Linh, a Class of 2023 student who was selected to represent Fulbright University Vietnam in the program, described her first semester abroad at Yale-NUS to be so much beyond academic fulfilling. It was an extended opportunity for her to meet people from all walks of life, to inhabit different places, and to understand the world in a much more nuanced light.
This month, we are delighted to announce nine winners of the 2022 Community Change-Maker Scholarship, which was established with the generous support of donors including Temasek, a global investment company headquartered in Singapore. This year, six undergraduates and three graduate students have won over the Scholarship Panel with projects of wide-ranging originality, thoughtful insight, and inspiring causes. This scholarship provides Fulbright students with financial assistance to implement social projects of their dreams for local communities, thus, reflects great confidence from donors in the future of Fulbright and its young people. Such projects are the fruitful results of Fulbright’s efforts to spread the community spirit to our students.
We’re also thrilled to receive the donation from Christina Noble Children’s Foundation (CNCF) to the Christina Noble – Fulbright Scholarship for eleven incoming undergraduate students of the Class of 2026. This scholarship, created specifically for students who come from significantly disadvantaged financial backgrounds, will support bright and resilient future changemakers throughout their quest for education with Fulbright University Vietnam.
With the sincerest gratitude,
Dam Bich Thuy
President, Fulbright University Vietnam
Read the full newsletter HERE.
Dear cherished friends of Fulbright University Vietnam,
For a quarter century, it has been the goal of transforming the human capital of Vietnam that informs our long-standing efforts to reimagine higher education in the country. For we believe an education in the liberal arts is key to a better future, and that the development of human resources is catalytic for advancing true social progress. During her visit to Fulbright University Vietnam on June 11, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman also emphasized the importance of youth empowerment to deliver solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges, translating our vision of sustainability into a reality. One of the five objectives in the Indo-Pacific strategy, of which Ms. Sherman reiterated the U.S. commitment to a strong and independent ASEAN, is to build collective capacity within and beyond the region.
Sharing the same commitment, the joint pledge between universities to promote our position as leaders in the 21st century was the central message that Fulbright University Vietnam had expounded on at the Teaching and Learning Summit in Hanoi. Hosted by VinUniversity with the participation of leading universities across Vietnam, the event aimed to propose strategic initiatives, plan long-term visions, and strengthen partnerships between institutions to transform the country’s higher education.
We believe that, for any significant progress to take root, such ties should also be deepened and extended to PreK-12 education. This month, Fulbright University Vietnam has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Wellspring International Bilingual School Hanoi. The agreement to advance cooperation between our two institutions will pave the way for across-the-board development programs, and increase access to liberal arts education for teachers, students and parents across Vietnam.
My dear friends,
One of the virtues of liberal arts that we consistently cultivate at Fulbright is that of lifelong learning. Where young people in their early 20s elect to pursue their first undergraduate degree, the university also attracts professionals, experts and officials from the public and private sectors who want to invest in knowledge and career development.
While the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management (FSPPM) has emerged as one of the leading public policy institutions in the region and a trusted voice in contributing to national dialogues and forums, recently, the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Fulbright has successfully organized the Coca-Cola Leadership Program. Delivered by senior lecturers at Fulbright and distinguished guest speakers across fields, the program was an empowering training ground for young leaders at Coca-Cola Vietnam to acquire the tools and knowledge needed to impact meaningful change within their organization.
The collaborative spirit to transform the human capital of Vietnam is also evident in contributions made by generations of students, graduates and scholars to the university over the years. Starting from 2022, a group of FSPPM alumni will grant need-based financial aid packages of 50-100% tuition fees to admitted Master of Public Policy students working in not-for-profit organizations, social organizations and enterprises.
Their initiative is a fine example of the “pay it forward” tradition at Fulbright, fostering opportunities for the next generation of changemakers to emerge, and innovate. A gift to education is also a long-term investment in our young people and in turn, ensuring our own future and the future of Vietnam.
With the sincerest gratitude,
Dam Bich Thuy
President, Fulbright University Vietnam
Read the full newsletter HERE.
Dear precious friends of Fulbright University Vietnam,
The month of May marks our traditional Giving Week – an effort to bring our community closer, to appreciate each other’s passion and dedication for education, as well as to nurture unity. After a year without any outdoor activities, the Giving Week kicked off with Fulbright Fun Run – a special occasion for the Fulbright community to get together, join a refreshing morning run around our Crescent Campus and enjoy fun activities such as an art exhibition, a Giving Fair from our very own student clubs, and a Human Library where people exchange their lifechanging stories.
Throughout the week, Fulbright members joined hands to contribute in various ways, from non-material forms, such as volunteering, writing a note of gratitude to one another, exchanging encouragement and support via all forms – hugs, handshakes, fist bumps – and spreading positivity all around campus, to donating to Students’ Development Fund or Campus Construction. Beyond our expectations, we have received generous support from not only within the Fulbright community, but also from broader society. It gave us such courage and confidence to further advance on our journey of pursuing our mission. We hope to continue this annual tradition for Fulbright to join hands with other communities to build an educational environment that nurtures a generation of change-makers, and contributes toward the development of Vietnam, the people of Vietnam, and the world beyond our nation.
My dear friends,
When Fulbright University Vietnam was just an idea, the founding members believed in this project for it is not only a milestone in the Vietnam-US partnership, but also to close the gap between the demand for skilled employees in Vietnam’s workforce and educational opportunities in the country. That belief created a ripple effect, which inspires our friends, supporters, and donors to continue making a positive impact in Vietnamese society.
On May 12, 2022, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and Fulbright signed a financing agreement for $37 million, in which DFC financing for Fulbright’s new campus in Saigon High Tech Park, Ho Chi Minh City. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh during his official visit to the U.S. for the US-ASEAN Special Summit. The commitment is a testament to the ongoing partnership between the United States Government, the Government of Vietnam, and the private sector to advance economic growth and opportunity in Vietnam. As the DFC’s representative shared, this investment will help facilitate opportunities for the next generation of students and workers in Vietnam and across the region, bringing quality education more accessible to everyone and addressing complex and cross-cutting challenges of the century.
A firm believer in Fulbright’s capacity to foster the next generation of change-makers, the US Department of State has recently announced a full-ride scholarship program for government officials from Laos under the Mekong – US Partnership Master in Public Policy (MUSP-MPP) Program at the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management (FSPPM). The five-year grant of US$800,000 will allow MUSP MPP-PA to bring 20 rising young public officials from Mekong countries, starting with Laos, to attend FSPPM for a Master’s degree in Public Policy – Policy Analysis.
This program is a part of Fulbright’s long-term commitment and efforts to foster regional leaders and address key challenges of the Lower Mekong region. It is also a testament to the excellence that FSPPM has strived for and has been accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) – the “gold standard” in public services education.
With the sincerest gratitude,
Dam Bich Thuy
President, Fulbright University Vietnam
Read the full newsletter HERE.
Dear cherished friends of Fulbright University Vietnam,
Since our earliest days, Fulbright University Vietnam has always been oriented toward the values of localizing global knowledge. We aspire to build a world-class university in Vietnam, which is rooted in a liberal arts education, not only globally integrated but also deeply embedded in Vietnamese society. We believe that, regardless of generation, a deep understanding of our past holds the key to unlocking the future; one that strengthens our footing in a world still regarded as uncertain, ambiguous, volatile, and complex.
This April, our community was delighted at the launch of the Vietnam Studies Center at the university. Coinciding with the official Memorandum of Understanding signing between Fulbright and the State Records and Archives Management Department of Vietnam, the Center’s establishment will become a hub for academic seminars, displays, exhibitions, digitalization of Vietnamese archival documents and artifacts, as well publications of local and international research centered around Vietnam. We hope they will serve as inspiring opportunities, and incentives, for the young people of Vietnam to rediscover, and re-examine, the layered stories of our country – its history, culture, society, and people – thus prompting them to not merely master a deep understanding of Vietnam, but above all, it’ll nurture one’s identity and civic consciousness in a country now intrinsically globalized.
My dear friends,
Reflecting on the goals set for the Vietnam Studies Center at Fulbright, I appreciate the fact that they’re also evocative of the values which have carved the way for the proven success of the Fulbright Economics Teaching Program (FETP) since 1995, the predecessor of the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management (FSPPM) at Fulbright University Vietnam today.
Our 27-year journey of transforming Vietnam’s human capital has always been grounded on educational programs based on globally embracive and locally probing insights into the country’s economic pulse, against the backdrop of rapidly changing scenes and new realities within Vietnam and that of the world. The enduring success of FETP, and now FSPPM and Fulbright, altogether, is credited to the tireless efforts of experts, visionaries, and leaders in Vietnam and across the world, those who have wholeheartedly dedicated to the advancement of Vietnam.
And now, with a community of more than 1500 FETP and FSPPM alumni from 62/63 provinces in Vietnam – an excellent class of officials and civil servants who have pioneered progressive change within their communities across the country – Fulbright has not only been recognized as “the most
important educational legacy between the Vietnam-US relations but it is now deemed an “invaluable well of knowledge” for future generations of Vietnam.
That legacy is honored and still cultivated at Fulbright University Vietnam until this day. This April, FSPPM announced the application for the Master of Public Policy Class of 2024 (MPP2024), which will provide scholarship packages granted by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), U.S. Department of State. Particularly, the scholarship program is also eligible for policy consultants and policymakers from public areas of Laos – a milestone step that reflects our mission to serve as one of Southeast Asia’s influential hubs and destinations for education.
My dear friends,
I’ve always believed university is the place where our young people can discover themselves, understand more about who they are, and determine their path to lifelong learning.
Such is why Fulbright University Vietnam is pleased to collaborate with MetaMinds Network to initiate “Mind Talks: Better Reader – Better Me”, a series of talks and discussions that invite young Vietnamese people to exchange with established authors, key opinion leaders, influencers, and thinkers on life-defining books. The first season of Mind Talks will explore the theme “Ikigai – A reason for living”, which we hope will spark inspiration in Vietnamese younger generations to figure out their answer, and as a result, inspire them to pay it forward when it comes to positive change they wish to impact.
Every member of the Fulbright community believes that higher education, specifically the liberal arts education at Fulbright, does not simply equip students with the essential skills, and intellectual and critical faculties to find a job after graduation. But most importantly, Fulbright is the place where the young people of Vietnam can discover their answer to the question “Why do I work?” while striving for the good of our community and society.
Sending my very best,
Dam Bich Thuy
President, Fulbright University Vietnam
