Kerry on the Importance of U.S.-Vietnam Ties in Education

In his speech in Hanoi on Friday marking the 20th anniversary of the establishment of normal diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam, Secretary of State Kerry highlighted IIE’s work in building partnerships between universities as one of the major accomplishments in promoting educational ties between the two countries.

"We have learned through years of mistakes that a healthy environment and a healthy economy go hand in hand. So does a high performing system of education. ... To succeed in today’s global economy, graduates must know more than what to think. They must also know how to think and they must have the incentive to innovate and to pursue new ideas. One way to ensure that is to create partnerships between top academic institutions, which is exactly the course that we are on. The Institute of International Education has sponsored a series of partnerships between U.S. universities and Vietnam. The University of Hawaii offers an Executive MBA program that is accredited in the United States and in Vietnam. And thanks to the hard work and vision of people like Tommy Vallely – and an endorsement from the government here – we’re moving ahead with the founding of Fulbright University in Ho Chi Minh City. In fact, just last month, Vietnam issued a license for construction to begin on the school, which is affiliated with Harvard and will emphasize academic freedom and an awareness of what the global marketplace demands."