SLIPPERY ROCK — The wheels are in motion, and within 18 months Slippery Rock University could have formal faculty and student exchanges with a number of universities in Vietnam.

Philip Way, SRU provost and vice president for academic affairs, met recently with a number of Vietnamese university and government officials to begin formalizing plans for such exchanges and other related programs.

“We had been holding conversations with the International Academic Partnership Program before going to Vietnam. IAPP helped us get our priorities in order and develop potential programs that would be beneficial to both us and any university partners in Vietnam,” Way said.

The IAPP is an initiative of the Institute of International Education’s Center for International Partnerships in Higher Education. The organization seeks to increase the number of international education partnerships.

“It was a week of productive meetings,” Way said. “We found the people engaging, helpful and enthusiastic, and I think we can work out exchange programs that will be mutually beneficial.” Way visited a dozen universities.

Since returning, Way has already met with SRU faculty to consider program specifics and new exchange possibilities. He also sees the possibility of faculty from Vietnam coming here, teaching and taking courses, then returning to Vietnam to use their enhanced teaching skills.

“They could use the teaching skills and the pedagogy we use. There is a lot of enthusiasm there for getting away from rote learning that is so common in their country,” he said.

For SRU, programs promoting English as a second language, tourism management, science, computer science, including network security, and environmental studies are all up for consideration.

He said a stumbling block could be the costs, pointing out that income is low in Vietnam, and not conducive to having a child study overseas. He said initial programs would most probably involve faculty exchanges.

“Public universities in Vietnam have an average tuition of between $200 and $300 per year. Vietnam National University is able to charge more in some disciplines,” he said, “so working out a student exchange will be a delicate issue.”

Way said a number of other U.S. and international universities have worked out exchange agreements with Vietnamese universities and the results are being seen.