USAID Funds Social Work in Vietnam

USAID Mission Director Joakim Parker in Hanoi announcing plans for a three-year Social Work Education Enhancement Program coordinated by SJSU (photo courtesy of Alice Hines).

The U.S. Agency for International Development has tapped SJSU to coordinate an international consortium that will enhance social work education in Vietnam.

San Jose-based Cisco Systems Inc. will join the effort, which also includes Vietnamese universities, the Ministries of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and Education and Training, and community stakeholders.

USAID will provide the SJSU School of Social Work a $2.5 million grant, to be matched by Cisco. The three-year Social Work Education Enhancement Program will create a 21st century model for higher education content and use of technology networks to improve teaching and leadership skills and strengthen collaboration.

The effort will also build capacity in a relatively new field for Vietnam. The team will develop and implement undergraduate social work policies and practices, develop competency-based, practical curricula, regional centers for excellence in social work education, and a leadership academy for social work faculty and administrators.

“Social work represents an integral part of our vision for social sector support and we are privileged to work with the Government of Vietnam and universities in this key area,” said USAID Mission Director Joakim Parker. “The new partnership will strengthen the social work profession to deliver high quality social services in a variety of critical sectors. We applaud San Jose State University and Cisco’s vision for public-private partnerships.”

Read the USAID news release.