Ho Chi Minh City, February 20, 2023 – The New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) has determined that Fulbright University Vietnam is eligible to proceed with an application for candidacy for accreditation within two years.
The New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) is a voluntary, non-governmental membership association that serves as an institutional accreditor and promotes educational excellence and quality assurance to its member institutions. This eligibility status granted by NECHE indicates that Fulbright University Vietnam has demonstrated compliance with the requirements addressed in the Requirement of Affiliation for Free-Standing Institutions Abroad and that this compliance has been verified by the Commission. A team of three reviewers visited Fulbright last November to meet with administration, faculty, staff, and students and to ensure that the university is in compliance with the commission’s core requirements and selected comprehensive standards.
The Commission’s site visit identified a number of areas of strength displayed by Fulbright University Vietnam. Among those areas highlighted were that our programs support the University’s mission “to inspire a new generation of leaders and ambitious thinkers of diverse origin to serve Vietnamese society and contribute to a better world” and are designed and delivered in a manner that is consistent with peer institutions in the United States. The visiting team also praises Fulbright faculty and staff who comprise an impressive group of highly qualified experts and skilled professionals dedicated to and supportive of the University, its mission, and its students.
Fulbright has outlined our ambitious plan of achieving NECHE candidacy by 2024 and full accreditation by 2029. Since our establishment in 2016, Fulbright has made remarkable progress in establishing exemplary undergraduate degree programs in Liberal Arts, Sciences, and Engineering, while continuing to offer our master’s degree program in Public Policy.
“This is another key milestone that Fulbright is honored to achieve in our quest to seek NECHE accreditation,” Ms. Dam Bich Thuy, President of Fulbright University Vietnam shares. “While there is still much to be done, reaching this step shows how committed Fulbright is to effectively serve our students and alumni as well as to enhance the value of the Fulbright education as a whole.”
Fulbright University Vietnam will continue holding ourselves to the highest standards as we continue our journey to accreditation. Accordingly, Fulbright will work on our institution’s self-study report to track our progress and results in relation to our accreditation status, while awaiting a candidacy visit by the Commission.
“Achieving the eligibility status has required the combined efforts of each and every member of the Fulbright community,” said Dr. Nora Taylor, Provost of Fulbright University Vietnam. “I greatly appreciate their considerable efforts that drive us to achieve this significant milestone in the accreditation process.”
A determination of eligibility is not candidacy or accreditation, nor does it indicate a likelihood of eventual accreditation. Questions about eligibility and the accreditation process should be directed to the President of the Commission.
About Fulbright University Vietnam
Fulbright University Vietnam is Vietnam’s first independent, not-for-profit, liberal arts university. We are an expanding international team of educational innovators, with deep roots in Vietnam, strong political and financial backing, and connections to educational institutions around the world.
At Fulbright, we believe in the power of collaboration, transdisciplinary thinking, and risk-taking, and we understand that effective education requires putting students at its center. Globally integrated but deeply embedded in Vietnamese society, Fulbright is dedicated to providing a world-class education, utilizing the latest advancements in institutional design, teaching, learning, technology and other fields to create an institution that is both innovative and globally relevant. Importantly, Fulbright is committed to serving Vietnamese society through rigorous research and responsible civic engagement.
