Obama tabs ASU an American academic leader in Vietnam address
May 24, 2016, 10:33 AM
PHOENIX — President Barack Obama called Arizona State University a leader in American academics during a speech in Vietnam on Monday.
Obama mentioned the school when he was speaking about U.S. entities that have worked to build ties with Vietnam in the years since the two nations were at war.
“American academic and technological leaders, including Intel, Oracle, Arizona State University and others, will help Vietnamese universities boost training in science, technology, engineering and math,” the president said.
Obama said he hopes the continuing partnership between the United States and Vietnam will help improve a blossoming relationship.
ASU News reports the program Obama mentioned is called the Higher Engineering Education Alliance Program. It trains Vietnamese professors from eight universities on engineering topics.
HEEAP is part of ASU’s Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering. ASU News said the program has trained 247 Vietnamese professors since its inception in 2010 and helped Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology become ABET certified. It is the only Vietnamese school with such an accreditation.
The program has also trained 2,000 additional professors during in-country workshops since 2012.
