First US university opens rep. office in Vietnam'

Washington (VNA) - The Loyola University of Chicago (LUC) received permission
earlier this month to set up a representative office in Ho Chi Minh City, becoming
the first US university to have an office in Vietnam.

Under its licence, the office will work to promote cooperation between LUC and
Vietnamese universities and training establishments and develop education and
training cooperation programmes in line with Vietnam 's educational
development.

LUC has so far set up ties with two Hanoi universiteis with a cooperative
agreement with the Hanoi National University signed during a Vietnam visit by the
university's leader, Dr Michael Garanzini, in July 2007 and another signed with
the Hanoi Medical University in January last year.

Last month, LUC and the Ho Chi Minh City National University signed a
cooperative project under which the two sides will jointly organise training
courses in Vietnam for US students and research tours in Chicago for
management staff of Vietnamese universities and colleges.
The first "Studying in Vietnam " course is scheduled to open in June this year.

|Targeting a long-term education and research cooperation in Vietnam , LUC has
organised a cultural exchange programme for its professors and training staff. The
first Vietnam visit as part of the programme was conducted in mid-2008 in Ho
Chi Minh City and central provinces.-Enditem