The Atlantic Philanthropies, Inc. Awards $1.1 Million Grant to UH to Build English Language Capacity in Vietnam

Grant supports second phase of the development of English language pedagogy in Vietnam

University of Hawaiʻi
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Posted: Oct 19, 2004

Recognizing the University of Hawaiʻi‘s (UH) long history with higher education in Vietnam and the quality of its Department of Second Language Studies, The Atlantic Philanthropies (AP) has awarded a $1.1 million grant to the University of Hawaiʻi System through the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation (UHF). The grant will be used to support the second phase of the development of English language pedagogy and capacity at the Hanoi University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) and other institutions in Vietnam. This grant is an extension of a $420,000 award AP made to the UH System last year to expand English language teaching and applied linguistics capacity in Vietnam.

"We are grateful to Atlantic Philanthropies for their continued generous support which extends the university‘s engagement with Vietnam," said David McClain, acting president, UH. "Importantly, this grant builds upon our long-standing Vietnamese language program in partnership with HUFS and our Executive MBA program with the Hanoi School of Business, further strengthening the premier position of our Department of Second Language Studies."

At the heart of the program will be the university‘s work to improve the quality of post-graduate education and teacher training in English for foreign-language professionals in Vietnam. A second key component will be the establishment of a UH Inter-University Center in Hanoi. The center will serve as a hub for UH activity in Southeast Asia and support training, research and partnerships throughout the region in a number of areas potentially including, but not limited to, nursing, public health, business, American studies and tourism.

Over the next two years, the project will involve a number of endeavors, including:

1) offering 12 pedagogical workshops at HUFS covering topics such as language teaching methodology, foreign language learning, foreign language testing and assessment, teacher training, content-based instruction, and English for Specific Purposes;

2) UH hosting HUFS teachers for a workshop involving intensive training in teaching methodology, resources, and classroom practice;

3) working with HUFS on developing their American Studies component; and

4) providing resident teachers/researchers in Hanoi.



About the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation

The University of Hawaiʻi Foundation is an independent, university-related, nonprofit organization whose purpose is to raise private funds according to priorities determined by the academic leadership of the University of Hawaiʻi and approved by the Board of Regents. Founded in 1955, the Foundation provides a full range of fund raising and alumni relations services for all 10 UH campuses. For more information on the Foundation, visit www.uhf.hawaii.edu.

For more information, visit: http://www.uhf.hawaii.edu