GlobalPittsburgh Helps Welcome Vietnamese Ambassador To Discuss Partnership Opportunities With Pittsburgh-Area Academic Institutions

GlobalPittsburgh on Monday welcomed His Excellency Le Cong Phung, Ambassador to the United States from Vietnam, for a meeting with representatives of Pittsburgh-area academic institutions to discuss education opportunities and partnerships with Vietnamese colleges and universities.

At a breakfast meeting co-hosted by GlobalPittsburgh and Robert Morris University, Ambassador Phung was greeted by RMU Provost David L. Jamison, and engaged in conversation with representatives from RMU, the University of Pittsburgh, Washington & Jefferson College and Community College of Allegheny County.

Vietnam wants to send thousands of students to study in the United States each year, and wants to create partnerships with American colleges and univsersities to improve its system of higher education, Ambassador Phung told the group.

“We have a good education system, but I must admit that we have a bad college-unversity system,” he said. “As Vietnam’s economy continues to develop, we need a well-trained labor force….I hope that universities in Pittsburgh will work with us to create cooperative agreements.”

During his visit, Ambassador Phung also met with representatives of Penn State Greater Allegheny, which signed an agreement earlier this year to train about 100 faculty members from Duy Tan University in Da Nang to deliver 24 business courses. This training will occur over the course of four years, beginning this summer. (See related ARTICLE)

He also participated in several meetings intended to strengthen the Sister City relationship established in 2008 between Pittsburgh and Da Nang, the third largest city in Vietnam. He met with numerous political leaders, corporate representatives and non-governmental organizations in the region.

Ambassador Phung was joined by Dr. Nguyen Hong Thach, Economic Counselor in the Vietnamese Embassy in Washington, D.C.

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