Grant Supports Second Phase of the Development of English Language Pedagogy in Vietnam
(Honolulu, Hawaiʻi) - 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.
# # #
The University of Hawaiʻi Foundation, a nonprofit organization, raises private funds to support the University of Hawaiʻi System. The mission of the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation is to unite donors' passions with the University of Hawaiʻi’s aspirations by raising philanthropic support and managing private investments to benefit UH, the people of Hawaiʻi and our future generations www.uhfoundation.org.
