Public Affairs Section
The Public Affairs Section (PAS) conducts information and cultural programs on behalf of the U.S. Government in Vietnam by delivering information about the United States, its government and its policies, and about America's institutions and its people and culture. The PAS also supports other sections in the Embassy, including the Economic Section, Foreign Commercial Service, Agricultural Section and Consular Section.
In Vietnam, the PAS maintains an The American Center (AC) to support information requests from our Vietnamese audience. Using CD-ROMs, online databases, i.e. Lexis/Nexis, as well as Internet resources of U.S. Government agencies, we provide continually updated information to Vietnamese government officials, National Assembly Members, Vietnam Communist Party Members, academics, researchers, journalists as well as students at large.
Public Affairs also provides educational and cultural services. We work closely with the other elements of the U.S. Mission as well as with many Vietnamese organizations to encourage broader understanding of the United States and its relationship with Vietnam. Through seminars, exhibits, speakers and other programs, Public Affairs encourages the sharing of ideas between Vietnamese and Americans on a wide variety of topics.
Contact information:
Public Affairs Section
3rd Floor, Rose Garden Tower
170 Ngoc Khanh Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel: 844-3850-5000; Fax: 844-3850-5120
Email: hanoiac@state.gov
The AC is a research and reference service for Vietnamese government and party officials, National Assembly members and staff, journalists, university professors and researchers, and others with a professional interest in the United States.
The AC collections include online and CD-ROM databases, a small print collection of up-to-date references, recent U.S. government documents, and extensive periodical collections online.
Online collection: Lexis-Nexis, PDQ, Galenet, OCLC FirstSerach, Stat-USA, UMI Academic, Research Library, EBSCHOST, and Factiva.
CD-ROM collection: American President, Encyclopedia Britannica, Complete U.S. History 1176-1914, U.S. Foreign Affairs, U.S. Academic Explorer, and more.
The AC can assist in locating and retrieving the following types of material: U.S. law or legal decisions, testimony before the U.S. Congress, U.S. policy towards Vietnam, speeches and statements by the U.S. President or other U.S. officials, biographical information on American political, cultural or business leaders, recent articles from hundreds of American publications, web sites for official U.S. government policy and much more.
Qualified bilingual information resource specialists will assist you with inquiries and research by telephone, fax, mail, and e-mail using the latest electronic resources. The Center can also draw on specialized materials through a network of U.S. Embassy Information Resource Centers and contacts in the United States.
All services are free of charge.
Press Program
The Public Affairs Section (PAS) accepts and facilitates interview requests from Vietnamese and international journalists who are interested in activities of the Embassy and in U.S.-Vietnamese relations. Aside from that, from our Washington File, an electronic information source from the U.S. State Department in Washington, we select transcripts of U.S. officials' speeches, articles and commentaries from U.S. print and electronic press for translation and distribution to interested Vietnamese readers and also to the local press for placement. At times, we also arrange for American experts or researchers to come to Hanoi and talk about issues of interest to the local press.
Fulbright Program in Vietnam
Started in 1992 with the goal of increasing mutual understanding between the people of the United States and Vietnam, the Fulbright Program in Vietnam has expanded to include five elements: U.S. Scholar Exchange Program, VN Scholar Exchange Program, U.S. Student Exchange Program, VN Student Exchange Program, Economics Teaching Program. On behalf of the J. William Fulbright Board of Foreign Scholarships and the U.S. State Department, PAS Hanoi administers all elements to ensure a smooth and systematic development of the Fulbright Program in Vietnam.
International Visitor Program
Every year the U.S. Embassy has the opportunity to identify candidates to compete for participation in four-week thematic study tours to the U.S. Candidates must be between 30-45 years of age, have worked in their professional area for at least five years, demonstrated academic and professional excellence in their areas of specialty and obtained the agreement of their work unit to participate in a U.S. government-sponsored exchange program. Usual IVP themes include economics, public administration, law, education, environmental protection, public health, social issues, creative writing, women's issues, international affairs and national security. English language ability is not always required.
H.H. Humphrey Program
This one-year, non-degree, academic and research public administration program supports a maximum of seven mid-career professionals each year from Vietnam. Participants spend one year at a U.S. university during which time they may also engage in an internship off campus in their field of specialty. Candidates in the fields of public health, environment, education, law, human rights, public policy, technology policy and management, urban planning, journalism, national security, and drug abuse education, treatment and prevention are encouraged to apply. Candidates must score of 525 or more on the TOEFL exam to be eligible for consideration. Candidates must also be committed to public service.
The Academic Specialist Program
This program places one or two qualified American specialists at a Vietnamese institution for a period from two weeks to six months to conduct training workshops, assist in curriculum development, and/or provide consultancy in such areas as culture and arts, American Studies, educational science, legal drafting and legal education, environmental management, capital markets, etc. Interested institutions should make a request to PAS Hanoi, justifying their needs, outlining the project dates and activities, detailing the required qualifications of the specialist, and envisaging a result from the project. PAS Hanoi bears all costs except lodging for the specialist. This must be covered by the local host institution.
The U.S. Speaker Program
The U.S. Speaker Program invites and pays for American scholars and experts to speak at interested Vietnamese institutions on various subjects such as American history, literature, culture, politics, economics, U.S. foreign policy, and U.S. regional and international security strategies. PAS also considers covering such organizing costs as interpretation and translation of presentation papers. Interested Vietnamese institutions can approach PAS Hanoi to discuss the possibility of implementing such a project.
State Alumni
The Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State (ECA) invites alumni of all U.S. exchange programs to join State Alumni, the online community by and for alumni. Launched in April 2001, the website is a way for alumni to network and stay in touch with each other. The site also offers alumni a calendar of events, grant opportunities, and job postings. The site now includes a moderated Question and Answer feature with monthly guest speakers. Registered users can also search the database of State Alumni community members to find colleagues, friends, and alumni with similar interests. Alumni are also given the option of posting their own news, events, or links. To register, please visit https://alumni.state.gov/.
EducationUSA
EducationUSA is a global network of more than 400 advising centers supported by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. EducationUSA centers actively promote U.S. higher education around the world. EducationUSA Vietnam is supported by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy.
EducationUSA services include:
• Accurate, unbiased, comprehensive, objective and timely information about educational institutions/opportunities in the U.S. through one-on-one advising, emails, phone calls, the internet, group advising and workshops.
• Internet resources and publications on various topics, such as:
- Accreditation
- Admissions
- Scholarships/Financial Aid
- Standardized Tests
- Student Visas
- Find-a-School Search Engine
- Pre-departure Orientation
All services are free of charge.
more…
All inquiries please mail to
Public Affairs Section
3rd Floor, Rose Garden Tower, 170 Ngoc Khanh Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
phone to 844 3850-5000 or fax to 844-3850-5120
Staff in Charge:
Christopher W. Hodges - Public Affairs Officer
Michael Turner - Deputy Public Affairs Officer
Spencer Cryder - Information Officer
Quan Mai Binh - Director of the American Center
all inquiries on Information Service
Pham Trong Thuc- Information Specialist
all inquiries on Press and Book Translation Program
Vu Quynh Nga - Fulbright Program Director
all inquiries on the Fulbright Program in Vietnam
Ngo Dinh Quynh - Cultural Affairs Specialist
all inquiries on International Visitor, H.H.Humphrey, Academic Specialist, and U.S. Speaker Programs
Nguyen Le Huyen- EducationUSA Adviser
all inquiries on U.S. Higher Education.