On the afternoon of July 9, 2024, National Economics University (NEU) hosted a ceremony to sign an academic cooperation agreement with Boise State University, USA, for a Bachelor of Business Administration program.

Representing Boise State University at the signing ceremony were Prof. Marlene Tromp, President; Prof. Dr. Mark Bannister, Dean of the College of Business and Economics; Prof. Dr. Brian O’Morrow, Senior Director of the Executive Master of Business Administration program, College of Business and Economics; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Timothy Dunne, Dean of the Executive Master of Business Administration Department, College of Business and Economics; and Prof. Dr. Nancy Napier, Honorary Lecturer and Senior Coach for the Executive Master of Business Administration program.

Representing NEU were Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong, President; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Duc Tho, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chair of the University Council; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Huy Nhuong, Vice President; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu, Vice President; Dr. Dao Thanh Tung, Head of the Department of International Cooperation; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Trung Thanh, Dean of the Institute of International Education; leadership representatives from departments, faculties, institutes, and centers; and alumni of Boise State University’s master’s programs.

Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong, President of NEU, and Prof. Marlene Tromp, President of Boise State University, USA, sign the cooperation agreement to implement the Bachelor of Business Administration program under the 2+2 model

Leadership representatives of the two institutions exchange gifts and pose for a commemorative photo

Boise State University, USA, has been a long-standing strategic partner of NEU since 1994. Many NEU faculty and staff who now hold key positions in the University’s leadership, as well as successful entrepreneurs in Vietnam, have attended master’s programs at Boise State University.

Since 2019, NEU’s Institute of International Education and Boise State University have collaborated effectively to develop and deliver the Bachelor of Entrepreneurship and Business Development (B-BAE) program, with six cohorts of students having studied or currently studying in the program. Building on this enduring relationship and aiming to provide Vietnamese students with a quality international learning environment, the Institute of International Education has continued to collaborate with Boise State University to implement a joint Bachelor of Business Administration program under the 2+2 model. The program offers 10 majors: Economics, Entrepreneurship, Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Human Resource Management, Supply Chain Management, Technology Management, Business Administration, and International Business Administration. Following a period of discussions to agree on implementation procedures and joint management arrangements, the two universities reached a consensus and formally signed this agreement.

At the opening of the ceremony, Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong, President of NEU, and Prof. Marlene Tromp, President of Boise State University, signed the cooperation agreement between the two universities. This agreement will serve as the legal basis for developing the joint Bachelor of Business Administration program between NEU and Boise State University, USA.

Also at the ceremony, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Trung Thanh, Dean of the Institute of International Education, and Prof. Dr. Mark Bannister, Dean of the College of Business and Economics, signed the implementation plan for the Bachelor of Business Administration program, offering 10 majors under the 2+2 model through cooperation between the two units. The program promises to help supply high-quality human resources for the labor market by equipping students with strong skills, a high level of professional expertise, the ability to adapt to technological developments, and the capacity to work in an international environment. Students will thus benefit from a learning environment that meets international standards and practical experiences, preparing them to become global citizens with broad future career opportunities.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Trung Thanh, Dean of the Institute of International Education, and Prof. Dr. Mark Bannister, Dean of the College of Business and Economics, sign the implementation plan for the Bachelor of Business Administration program under the 2+2 model

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Trung Thanh, Dean of the Institute of International Education, explained: “The degree for this program is awarded by Boise State University, and the entire curriculum complies with U.S. standards. Under the model, students study in Vietnam for the first two years before transferring to Boise State University for the final two years. This gives students time to adapt to an international learning environment and approaches to learning. During their final two years in the United States, students will also gain exposure to American working styles, practices, and culture, international culture, and one of the world’s most advanced education systems, with flexible transfer options across 10 majors.”

At the conclusion of the ceremony, representatives of NEU and Boise State University exchanged meaningful gifts to strengthen ties and mark the long-term cooperation between the two universities. This cooperation will provide significant encouragement and foster strong, sustainable development in the relationship between NEU’s Institute of International Education and Boise State University in the coming years. There is confidence that the 2+2 Bachelor of Business Administration program jointly offered with Boise State University will be implemented in line with its guiding principles, educating generations of dynamic students with practical capabilities who meet global workforce requirements.

Leaders of the two universities exchange gifts and pose for commemorative photos

During this working visit to Vietnam, the Boise State University delegation also held a meeting and toured Chu Van An High School in Hanoi, a school with a long history and the richest traditions in Vietnam, spanning 116 years of development. There, the delegation spoke and exchanged views with the school’s leadership and teachers, and interacted with students in its Cambridge dual-diploma program.

The Boise State University delegation visits and holds a working session at Chu Van An High School

The delegation also visited Tran Quoc Pagoda, a pagoda steeped in Vietnam’s historical traditions, featuring distinctive stupa architecture and buildings connected in the shape of the Chinese character “工” (cong). The delegation members toured each area with guidance from students Phan Trong Huy and Do Tuan Kiet, who had earned scholarships through their outstanding performance and transferred to complete their final two years at Boise State University under the 2+2 pathway of the B-BAE@NEU Bachelor of Entrepreneurship and Business Development program. The visit was made even more meaningful by the two students’ careful preparation and attentive guidance, which provided useful information about this ancient pagoda.

The Boise State University delegation visits Tran Quoc Pagoda

Students Phan Trong Huy and Do Tuan Kiet introduce Tran Quoc Pagoda to the Boise State University delegation

Additional photos from the Boise State University delegation’s working visit to Vietnam:

Article and photos: Institute of International Education & Department of Communications

This is an automated translation. If you notice any errors, please contact the Department of Communications, National Economics University at phongtruyenthong@neu.edu.vn.