Tag Archives: SWEEP

Dr. Alice Hines and SWEEP Team Receive Prestigious Awards from the Government of Vietnam

Dr. Alice Hines speaking at the final annual summit in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Dr. Alice Hines speaking at the final annual summit in Hanoi, Vietnam

The Social Work Education Enhancement Project (SWEEP) in Vietnam held its final annual summit of Vietnam Social Work Educators, Ministry representatives, and other stakeholders in Hanoi on September 21-22.

One notable highlight of the Summit was a ceremony on day one to recognize Dr. Alice Hines’ outstanding contributions to social work education in Vietnam. Two awards were presented. Dr. Hines was presented with a prestigious award and medal from the Director of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MOLISA) for her outstanding work and for the SWEEP project valued contributions to the cause of MOLISA. Officials at the summit said that Dr. Alice Hines, SWEEP Director, was the first American citizen to be offered this award from MOLISA. Past recipients have included United Nations representatives and Ambassadors to Vietnam.

Dr. Alice Hines receives the MOLISA award from Mr. Doan Mau Diep

Dr. Alice Hines receives the MOLISA award from Mr. Doan Mau Diep

Dr. Alice Hines receiving the MOLISA medal from Mr. Doan Mau Diep

Dr. Alice Hines receiving the MOLISA medal from Mr. Doan Mau Diep

Dr. Hines was also presented with an award from the Vietnam Vocational Training Association (VVTA) for “enhancing the quality of education at the Bachelor of Arts level in social work according to international standards and enhancing the capacity of leaders and faculty in collaboration with the Association in research, competency development, and BASW level training in Vietnam.” SWEEP partner universities and SWEEP team members were moved by the recognition of the project success and echoed appreciation for Dr. Hines leadership.

Mme Nguyen Thi Hang (right) presenting the VVTA award to Dr. Alice Hines (left)

Mme Nguyen Thi Hang (right) presenting the VVTA award to Dr. Alice Hines (left)

In this final summit, Dr. Hines reported SWEEP activities and achievement during the last three years, in terms of leadership development, fellowship development, competency based curriculum development, research, and communication/networking.

Panels of leaders and faculty from eight partner universities provided overviews of collective progress and future plans in key areas including the development of competency based education in social work; leadership development and the use of technology for national collaboration; faculty development; and efforts to extend SWEEP advances in social work education to other non-SWEEP universities. Dr. Nguyen Hai Huu of the School of Social Work Association presented the final draft of the competency standards for social work education in Vietnam, which represented a milestone in progress toward institutionalizing new standards for social work education.

Among VIP guests at the Summit were Mr. Le Nhu Tien, Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly Committee on Culture, Education, and Youth; Mr. Doan Mau Diep, Vice Minister, MOLISA; Mme Nguyen Thi Hang, former MOLISA Minister, Vietnam Vocational Training Association (VVTA) President; and Joakim Parker Mission Director, Vietnam USAID.

SWEEP team members and partner universities

SWEEP team members and partner universities

New Vietnamese Fellows Complete 3-Week Social Work Academy

The Social Work Education Enhancement Project (SWEEP) completed its third Fellows Academy on July 11, with eight Vietnamese faculty members participating in a three-week training session at San José State University (SJSU).

The members of the SJSU SWEEP Fellows Academy III gather for a group photo with College of Applied Sciences and Arts staff and faculty.

The members of the SJSU SWEEP Fellows Academy III gather for a group photo with College of Applied Sciences and Arts staff and faculty.

The eight Fellows were:

Tung Nguyen, of Vietnam National University/HCM, University of Social Sciences and Humanities

Thao Do, of Dong Thap University

Sy Pham, of Hue University, College of Sciences

Cam Ly Vo, of Vinh University

Minh Bui, of Vietnam Natioinal University/Hanoi, University of Social Sciences and Humanities

Bich Do, of University of Labor and Social Affairs

Hien Nguyen, of DaLat University

Trang Nguyen, of Hanoi University of Education

SWEEP is an international consortium which includes the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), SJSU, eight universities in Vietnam, Vietnamese government Ministries, Cisco Systems, Inc., and community agencies and stakeholders. The purpose of SWEEP is to assist eight universities in Vietnam with improving their undergraduate social work educational programs. The project, which is funded with a grant from USAID and support from CISCO through September, 2015, aims to improve:

  • The administration of social work programs
  • Faculty capabilities in teaching and research
  • Social work curriculum, and
  • Network communication among the universities through the use of improved technology

Fast-emerging social problems in Vietnam are creating a high demand for professionally-trained social workers. Bich Do emphasized how important it is for young faculty members to gain knowledge in order to effectively improve social work in Vietnamese higher education. She was appointed by the SWEEP coordinator from her university.

Social Work Education Enhancement Program, eight Vietnamese faculty members were presented with certificates on the last day of the Fellows Academy.

Social Work Education Enhancement Program, eight Vietnamese faculty members were presented with certificates on the last day of the Fellows Academy.

“I learned how to design a syllabus for assignments and assessments through the competency-based curriculum training,” Do said during a short break from a workshop. She explained the importance of building a foundation to teach social work. “I will apply the training and use of technology I learned here to the way I teach.”

Throughout the three weeks, the Fellows were able to use Cisco telepresence equipment for workshops and meetings. The use of improved technology promotes easier access of communication among the universities.

Hien Nguyen expressed how this technology could be used to keep a connection with SJSU and for her own teaching approach. “I will look for ways to include technology to my teaching methods and network with colleagues and social services in Vietnam.”

In addition to workshops on campus, the Fellows were able to visit various social service agencies in the Bay Area, including the Santa Clara County Child Protective Services, Mekong Community Center, Gardner Family Care Mental Health Services and the California Social Work Education Center in Berkeley.

Sy Pham said he likes to learn new things and the site visits gave him an opportunity to study how these social services operate. “The field of social work is new and limited in Vietnam, so I will share the practices of social work we observed here which is very useful to help create a foundation” said Pham.

The Fellows gained much knowledge from the program and were pleased with how hospitable SJSU faculty and staff were. Do said she enjoyed the “spirit of collaboration and openness.”

Hien Nguyen said she would like to “continue the connection with SJSU faculty for support and hopefully bring Vietnamese social workers from the U.S. to Vietnam to share knowledge.”

“The faculty and staff were very informative and showed me an integrated way to apply the competency-based training where I will provide a seminar on it back home,” said Pham.

The Fellows were the third and final group to participate in SWEEP.

SJSU SWEEP Fellows Academy III gather for a group photo on the last day of the program

SJSU SWEEP Fellows Academy III gather for a group photo on the last day of the program

SJSU’s Ed Cohen to participate in Fulbright grant in 2015-16

Ed Cohen, an associate professor in the College of Applied Sciences and Arts School of Social Work, has been selected to receive a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Grant to teach in Vietnam during the Spring 2016 semester.

Ed Cohen, far left, works with a group of Vietnamese faculty members as part of the Social Work Education Enhancement Project. He has received a Fulbright grant to work in Vietnam in Spring 2016.

Ed Cohen, far left, works with a group of Vietnamese faculty members as part of the Social Work Education Enhancement Project. He has received a Fulbright grant to work in Vietnam in Spring 2016.

He will teach a course in mental health policy and services, conduct research in the implementation of new legislation in the country to improve community-based mental health services, and provide seminars for faculty in teaching and scholarship. Cohen is Co-Investigator, with Alice Hines, of San José State University’s USAID-funded Social Work Education Enhancement Program (SWEEP) aimed at improving social work education, for Vietnam’s newly established social work profession.

As the co-investigator of SWEEP, Cohen has traveled to conferences in Vietnam for the last several years to work with eight partner universities. He has also participated in hosting visitors to SJSU from Vietnam including university administrators and faculty member who attended workshops on improving social work education in Vietnam.

SWEEP is an international consortium which includes USAID, SJSU, eight universities in Vietnam, government ministries, Cisco Systems, Inc., community agencies and stakeholders. The purpose of SWEEP is to assist eight universities in Vietnam with improving their undergraduate social work educational programs. The project, which is funded through September 2015, aims to improve:

  • The administration of social work programs
  • Faculty capabilities in teaching and research
  • Social work curriculum, and
  • Network communication among the universities through the use of improved technology

 

SWEEP: Fellows learn about social work and technology at SJSU

The Social Work Education Enhancement Project completed its second Fellows Academy in March, with eight Vietnamese faculty members undergoing an intense three-week training session at San José State University.

After completing an three-week training with the SJSU Social Work Education Enhancement Program, eight Vietnamese professors were presented with certificates on the last day of the Fellows Academy.

After completing an three-week training with the SJSU Social Work Education Enhancement Program, eight Vietnamese professors were presented with certificates on the last day of the Fellows Academy.

Nguyen Thi Thai Lan said she was appointed by her university to attend the SWEEP Fellows Academy in March. She is a faculty member at the University of Labor and Social Affairs in Hanoi, one of eight partner universities that are working to create a model of Social Work education based on best practices in the United States.

“The first thing I learned was a better understanding of competency-based curriculum,” Nguyen said on the last day of the Academy, noting that the field trips to government agencies and nonprofits that provide services directly to the community were especially helpful. “I learned the structure in providing services to people.”

During their visit, the Fellows visited the Mekong Community Center, Santa Clara County Child Protective Services, East Side Unified High School, Gardner Family Care Mental Health Services and the California Social Work Education Center.

Many College of Applied Sciences and Arts Social Work faculty were involved in sharing knowledge about how to teach social work for the fellows, but other departments at SJSU also provided support. Other groups involved in leading workshops included the School of Information, the Center for Faculty Development, the SJSU Global Leadership Advancement Center, Academic Technology and the University Library.

Some of the workshops focused on faculty development, creating curriculum and setting a research agenda, among other topics. They used Cisco telepresence equipment in some of their meetings and workshops.

Interim Dean Alice Hines is the director of SWEEP, while Social Work Professor Ed Cohen serves as a co-director. SWEEP is an international consortium which includes USAID, SJSU, eight universities in Vietnam, government ministries, Cisco Systems, Inc., community agencies and stakeholders. The purpose of SWEEP is to assist eight universities in Vietnam with improving their undergraduate social work educational programs. The project, which is funded through September 2015, aims to improve:

  • The administration of social work programs
  • Faculty capabilities in teaching and research
  • Social work curriculum, and
  • Network communication among the universities through the use of improved technology

Pham Tien Dong, a faculty member at Vinh University, said he wanted to attend the Fellows Academy so he can contribute to the development of social work in Vietnam.

Using a translator, Pham said he learned about “new material in social work and accessing modern technology in teaching.”

“They shared a lot of how to instruct students and the use of technology in teaching,” Nguyen said. “I wish we had a wonderful environment like this.”

Nguyen and Pham both commented on how welcoming all the SJSU faculty and staff had been during their visit.

“I appreciate the friendship of the faculty and staff from SJSU, the personal environment and the nice weather,” Pham said.

The members of the SJSU SWEEP Fellows Academy II gather for a group photo with College of Applied Sciences and Arts staff and faculty when they started a three-week training program to enhance social work education in Vietnam.

The members of the SJSU SWEEP Fellows Academy II gather for a group photo with College of Applied Sciences and Arts staff and faculty when they started a three-week training program to enhance social work education in Vietnam.

Other faculty who visited from Vietnam for the second Fellows Academy include:

Nguyen Thi Thu Hien, of Vietnam National University/HCM, University of Social Sciences and Humanities

Nugyen Thi Bich Hung, of Dong Thap University

Bui Quang Dung, of Hue University, College of Sciences

Dang Kim Khanh Ly, of Vietnam National University/Hanoi, University of Social Sciences and Humanities

Vo Thuan, of DaLat University

Nguyen Le Hoai Anh, of Hanoi University of Education

 

A third Fellows Academy is planned for June.

SWEEP: Vietnamese fellows settle in for Social Work Academy in March

The College of Applied Sciences and Arts at San José State University is hosting its second Social Work Education Enhancement Project Fellows Academy, with eight Vietnamese professors visiting for three weeks in March to learn skills they will be able to bring home to their own universities in Vietnam. The 2015 fellows arrived in San José on March 1 and have been involved in lectures and workshops all week. The Fellows Academy is March 2-20.

Many SJSU social work faculty are involved in sharing knowledge about how to teach social work for the fellows, but other departments at SJSU are also providing support including the School of Information, the Center for Faculty Development, the SJSU Global Leadership Advancement Center, Academic Technology, and the University Library. The fellows will also have a chance to visit social service agencies in the Bay Area to see what types of services are provided in the United States as the field of Social Work is relatively new in Vietnam, established 10 years ago.

Interim Dean Alice Hines is the director of SWEEP, while Social Work Professor Ed Cohen serves as a co-director. SWEEP is an international consortium which includes USAID, SJSU, eight universities in Vietnam, government ministries, Cisco Systems, Inc., and community agencies and stakeholders. The purpose of SWEEP is to assist eight universities in Vietnam with improving their undergraduate social work educational programs. The project, which is funded through September, 2015, aims to improve:

  • The administration of social work programs
  • Faculty capabilities in teaching and research
  • Social work curriculum, and
  • Network communication among the universities through the use of improved technology