An 11-storey building taking shape in Vietnam will become UQ’s first physical presence overseas when it opens in October.
The University of Danang (UD)-University of Queensland English Language Institute (ELI) is a joint project to improve English language training in Danang and Central Vietnam.
The Atlantic Philanthropies, which has backed several Vietnamese health and education, has funded the ELI with $9.3 million (US$7 million) for the building and some operational costs.
UD provides the land while UQ provides the teaching know-how, staff, curriculum, resources and intellectual property.
The ELI will occupy six floors in one of Danang’s tallest buildings on the downtown campus of UD.
UD English language teaching will be run from the other five floors.
The building is coordinated by one of Vietnam’s biggest humanitarian groups, the East Meets West Foundation, while UQ’s English Language and training division, the Institute of Continuing and TESOL (Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages) Education (ICTE-UQ) oversees the project.
ICTE-UQ Director Christine Bundesen said the ELI would initially employ 12 staff which was expected to grow to 30 within two years.
Ms Bundesen said the idea for the ELI was hatched by The Atlantic Philanthropies founder Chuck Feeney over a cheese sandwich in a Ho Chi Minh city café back in 1999.
“He spoke to me about his concerns about the very limited language ability of so many of the academic community in Vietnam.”
“The sandwich was a shocker. . . but Chuck and I have had a laugh about it a few times since.”
She said Central Vietnam was chosen for the ELI base because of the region’s fast economic and investment growth and obvious need for quality English language training.
“This is not just something to be constructed and serve Danang city,” Ms Bundesen said.
“We wanted the institute in a region where we could really make a difference and truly contribute to capacity building in the region.
“The Atlantic Philanthropies philosophy about developmental activity off-shore is that we provide the know-how to then develop the know-how locally.”
She said the ELI had direct street access, stand-up computer terminals to access the UQ website, a display area of UQ promotional material as well as office space for visiting staff and researchers.
Ms Bundesen said English and communication classes would start from mid October and there were plans to launch corporate communications training also.
“We will use the facilities to promote and profile the UQ and ICTE study opportunities to the Central Region but also as a hopping space to the southern and northern regions.”
Ms Bundesen expects strong demand for ELI courses as the Vietnam Central Government has introduced policies that all Vietnamese school children must reach a minimum level of English by 2020.
Patricia Roessler, the former head of Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Vietnam will lead the ELI team in Vietnam.
MEDIA: Christine Bundesen (0418 739 005, director@icte.uq.edu.au) or Miguel Holland at UQ Communications (3365 2619, m.holland@uq.edu.au)
