West Virginia University officials recently signed a linkage agreement with An Giang University in southern Vietnam that will help develop social work programs in that country.

The two universities have agreed to work on joint projects, create study abroad and exchange programs for students and faculty, and acquire funding sources for those programs, said Dan Weiner, director of WVU s Office of International Programs, which helped coordinate the partnership. Officials are currently in the process of writing memorandums of understanding for specific projects.

Although the initial focus will be on social work, the partnership will have the potential to benefit all colleges and schools at WVU , said Weiner. The agreement was signed Dec. 5 by WVU President David C. Hardesty, Jr. and An Giang University Rector Vo-Tong Xuan.

Through the partnership, WVU s Division of Social Work will assist An Giang University with developing academic social work and applied training programs for practicing social service workers in Vietnam, said associate professor Neal Newfield, who teaches in WVU s School of Applied Social Sciences.

An Giang University is located in southern Vietnam in Long Xuyen, a city of approximately 128,000 people on the west bank of the Hau Giang (Bassac) River, a channel of the Mekong. The university is south of Ho Chi Minh City, near Cambodia.

Initially, WVU will assist An Giang University with establishing a certificate of social work, which will involve 18 credit hours. Officials hope to build the certificate into a masters in social work graduate program.

Vietnam has a population of about 83.5 million, but only a handful of people have masters degrees in social work,Newfield said.Our goal is to help build the capacity of Vietnam in social work areas. Its exciting to be at the start of a masters in social work program in a country. We think it will help do a lot of good for Vietnam.

Problems facing Southeast Asia, particularly Cambodia, include human trafficking, along with health issues such as HIV and malaria.

Some people dont realize human trafficking is a $52 billion business in the world,Newfield said.Street children in particular are at risk. Poverty and globalization are tied in with the problem. Its a problem of what happens when people with money meet people without money, and the people with money do not have a conscience. There is the cost of human trafficking in HIV and AIDS and also the interpersonal cost.

Newfield and his wife Susan, who is an associate professor in WVU s School of Nursing, have been involved with social issues in Vietnam for two years.

They have served two years on the board of directors for the Southeast Asia Childrens Project, based in Palo Alto, Calif. The organization, directed by Jim Keim, helped the Newfields travel to Vietnam and Cambodia this past summer. The Newfields, along with Keim, conducted workshops on counseling skills for social service workers.

The Newfields have also worked with Diep Vuong of the Pacific Links Foundation and Project ADAPT , based in San Francisco.

Many people have made this (linkage agreement) possible,said Neal Newfield.Diep has been a valuable ally whose contacts and knowledge of Vietnam has been an essential ingredient in this linkage agreement going forward. Jim Keims counsel and support plus his inviting Susan and I to Vietnam to teach also helped this happen.

I want to extend my appreciation to WVU s Office of International Programs, including Dan Weiner and George Lies, for all their help in establishing this partnership,added Newfield.

The Newfields plan to take 10-12 WVU students to Vietnam and Cambodia this summer. Students will attend classes for three weeks at An Giang University in Vietnam and spend one week in Cambodia. They will focus on issues of public health for social workers and visit social service agencies. Students will also learn about Vietnamese culture, history and politics and receive language lessons.

Nothing takes the place of face-to-face engagement with people,Newfield said.Its important for us to be over there.

Undergraduates will be awarded six credits of elective in social work for the study-abroad course, and graduate students will earn three credits. The summer course is open to all students, regardless of major.

For more information, contact WVU ’s Division of Social Work, 304-293-3501.