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
