Vietnamese
Professor TuVu Ngoc
(left) presents
University Professor
Robert Proudfoot
with an education
award from the
Vietnamese Ministry
of Education and
Training on Friday in
the Johnson Hall
Conference Room.
Roman Gokhman
Emerald
Professor receives medal
Robert Proudfoot is honored
for contributions to the sister
education program with
University students in Vietnam
Roman Gokhman
News Reporter
University international studies
Professor Robert Proudfoot was
awarded a medal Friday from a coun
try thousands of miles to the east.
The Vietnamese Ministry of Edu
cation and Training honored Proud
foot with the highly distinguished
Medal for the Cause of Education for
his effort to bridge a culture gap
through higher education.
The honor “recognizes Professor
Proudfoot — his outstanding contri
bution to the development of educa
tion in Vietnam, in particular in devel
opment of human resources and
economy,” said Dr. Tu Vu Ngoc of the
Vietnam National University in Hanoi.
Proudfoot has spent more than a
decade establishing the “Vietnam
University of Oregon Sister Univer
sity Project” in which students and
university officials from both coun
tries travel for research and to
study each other’s cultures. Several
exchanges have taken place since
1988, and the program has been
praised by the University adminis
tration.
“We’re very proud of his work and
pleased that he’s received this hon
or,” University Senior Vice President
and Provost John Moseley said.
Vu Ngoc agreed.
“The connection between the in
tellectuals of two countries could be
the best bridge for the two govern
ments,” Vu Ngoc said.
Proudfoot said he was pleased to
receive the medal, and the project
would not have been successful
without others.
“Nothing really happens without
a team of people working together,”
he said.
The professor said the major ac
complishments from the project in
clude the various faculty exchange
programs to train professors from
both countries, the development of
departmental and collaborative ties
between disciplines, and the estab
lishment of field schools for gradu
ate students.
“Foundationally, very, very, strong
ties (have resulted from the proj
ect),” he said.
Proudfoot’s involvement in Viet
nam began in 1987 under Universi
ty President Paul Olum when the
University sent delegations to form a
bond between the two countries.
“Olum believed one of the better
ways to create a peaceful and lasting
relationship between us was the edu
cation process,” Proudfoot said. “Pres
ident (Myles) Brand and President
(Dave) Frohnmayer have encouraged
and supported the development of
this long term friendship.”
Between 1987 and 1990, Proud
foot made three or four trips to Viet
nam and spoke with intellectuals,
university officials and community
organizations to lay the foundation
for the sister-school program.
Through the program, the first
post-Vietnam War delegation of Viet
namese university professors trav
eled to the United States for a con
ference in 1994.
Proudfoot said students partici
pating in the exchange also have
learned a lot.
Graduate Teaching Fellow Lor
raine Brundige, who went to Viet
nam, said American students were
exposed to a Vietnam they did not
know about.
“This is a world the books don’t
teach you about,” Brundige said.
Vietnamese exchange student
Tuan Vu Ngoc said he is privileged to
study at the University and share his
views with others.
“As a Vietnamese student studying
at the University of Oregon, I want to
show my perspective and opinion
about the relationship between Viet
nam and the United States,” he said. “I
want to contribute those experiences.”
Proudfoot will be leading another
delegation of University students
and faculty to Vietnam for a three
month exchange in January.
Contact the reporter
atromangokhman@dailyemerald.com.
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