WCBC

November 7th, 2016 by WCBC Radio

Frostburg State University students had the opportunity to interact with an experienced international trade negotiator when Trade Minister Counselor Dao Tran Nhan of the Embassy of Vietnam came to campus recently. Nhan is the Vietnamese official responsible for trade policy and promoting trade and industrial cooperation with the United States.

Thanks to Nhan’s help, in September, FSU finalized an agreement to create a cooperative “2+2” degree program in computer science with Hanoi University of Industry in Vietnam. Students at HaUI will complete the initial two years of the program at their home campus before coming to Frostburg for the final two years to earn a bachelor of science in computer science from FSU.

“We are glad to add HaUI as a cooperative partner. This is a wonderful opportunity for the students in Vietnam who will soon enroll at Frostburg, and these global connections are equally important for Frostburg students,” said Dr. John Bowman, interim vice president for international and government affairs at FSU. “Interacting with people from different cultures helps students grow into competent global citizens with the skills and experiences needed to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.”

In Frostburg, Nhan spoke to students about the trade relationship between the U.S. and Vietnam, his duties as trade minister counselor in terms of promoting trade and investment, and the growth and expansion of Vietnam’s economy and labor force. He also answered several student questions about the importance of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the prevailing needs and opportunities of the market in Vietnam.

Bowman met Nhan several years ago, when FSU first explored an exchange agreement with an institution in Vietnam. Though that particular agreement was never completed, during their discussions, Nhan developed a vision for an alternative educational partnership. He eventually brought HaUI together with FSU to discuss the concept of a cooperative degree program.

“Without Trade Minister Counselor Nhan acting as a facilitator, the relationship between Frostburg and HaUI might not exist,” said Bowman. “His vision and passion were driving forces behind the establishment of this new program.”

The agreement took about two years to complete, while computer science faculty from FSU carefully designed the program’s curriculum with their counterparts at HaUI.

After finalizing the agreement between FSU and HaUI, Bowman invited Nhan and his wife, Loan Nguyen, to campus to meet with Frostburg leadership, faculty and students. Nhan also toured the FSU campus, including the Catherine R. Gira Center for Communications and Information Technology, which houses the Department of Computer Science and Information Technologies. Nhan expressed admiration of the two-year-old facility where students from HaUI will attend computer science courses.

The agreement with HaUI marks Frostburg’s fifth international cooperative program in which international students earn FSU degrees. Earlier agreements include China University of Mining and Technology for a bachelor’s in accounting; Hunan University of Commerce in China for a bachelor’s in economics with a minor in finance; Communication University of China, Beijing, with a master’s in applied computer science; and Vanung University in Taiwan and University of Maryland Eastern Shore for a hospitality management concentration in the business administration major.