I recently received an intriguing message via LinkedIn from a Vietnamese undergraduate enrolled at FUV (Tagline: Creating the next generation of change-makers in Vietnam for a rapidly evolving world) in HCMC. Here's the unedited back-and-forth between the student and me, which he gave me permission to share on an unattributed basis. I appreciated his candor … Continue reading A Fulbright University Vietnam (FUV) Student Speaks Out
soft power
“Higher Ed as a Weapon” Revisited
Below is a diplomatic cable that was leaked in the spring of 2008 by someone working for the US Embassy in Hanoi. I became aware of this document when it magically appeared in my inbox. Keep in mind that this was in the pre-Wikileaks era. Obviously, someone wanted the world to know (thank you, someone!) … Continue reading “Higher Ed as a Weapon” Revisited
“Winning the Great Power Education: Revamping the U.S. Approach to Education Exchange”
I learned about this Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) commentary from a colleague's LinkedIn post. Once I saw the source, CSIS, a quasi-USG, pro-US American NGO based in Washington, D.C., I knew exactly what "Great Power Education" referred to. It's all about winning the "hearts and minds of the next generation of global … Continue reading “Winning the Great Power Education: Revamping the U.S. Approach to Education Exchange”
If I Were US Ambassador to Vietnam…
Here is my latest piece for CounterPunch. Think of it as a Viet Nam-related sociopolitical fantasy. A guy can dream, can't he? MAA
Peace Corps Coming to Vietnam for First Time
I'm very happy to see this development. It's yet another indication that Viet Nam is coming of age as a full-fledged member of the global community of nations because it reflects the government's confidence in itself and its country. In the past, the Peace Corps was viewed with official suspicion. (This is not without cause, … Continue reading Peace Corps Coming to Vietnam for First Time
Hanoi’s First-Ever US Embassy-Sponsored Higher Education Fair
Welcome to the newest kid on the US higher education fair block, which has expanded considerably in the past 10 years. I'm pleased to see that the US Embassy has its very own higher education fair along the lines of the Institute of International Education-Vietnam fairs of yesteryear. In a sense and in this particular … Continue reading Hanoi’s First-Ever US Embassy-Sponsored Higher Education Fair
Vietnam: Off The Beaten Track (OTBT) Tour 2014
Below is a description of a new tour organized by EducationUSA, US Embassy, Hanoi. Its purpose is to reach out to talented and gifted students in five (5) provinces in northern Vietnam. Eligible t0ur participants include those who wish to "engage with Vietnam's top students who are prime candidates for U.S. institutions looking to diversity … Continue reading Vietnam: Off The Beaten Track (OTBT) Tour 2014
Vietnam Education Dialogue: Higher Education Reforms
On July 31st and August 1st, US Consul General, Rena Bitter, hosted a conference on Vietnamese higher education. The star-studded list of guests included Dr. Ngo Bao Chau, the first Vietnamese to receive the prestigious Fields Medal, known as the Nobel Prize of Mathematics, Dr. Nguyen Quan, Minister of Science and Technology, and Professor Bui … Continue reading Vietnam Education Dialogue: Higher Education Reforms
Of Proposed Fulbright Cuts, Reaper Drones & the American Fulbright University in Vietnam
The Fulbright Program aims to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs and thereby increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in friendship and peace. - Senator J. William Fulbright in the Foreword to "The Fulbright Program: A History, 1965" Here's … Continue reading Of Proposed Fulbright Cuts, Reaper Drones & the American Fulbright University in Vietnam
Winning the Hearts & Minds of Young Vietnamese
Note: If you’re an employee of the US State Department, do not pass go, do not collect $200, close this tab immediately. This post contains a “sensitive” Wikileaks cable that originated in the US Embassy-Hanoi and commentary on the same. If you read it, you are breaking the law, not to mention disobeying Madam Secretary. Please pardon … Continue reading Winning the Hearts & Minds of Young Vietnamese
An International Educator in Viet Nam 
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