Doors to NIU will soon open to Vietnamese doctorate students.

The Vietnam Education Foundation is a program based in Washington, D.C. that is designed to promote closer bilateral relations with Vietnam through scholarships and educational exchange programs.

“We believe that America can find in Vietnam a potential cooperation partner,” said Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, in his speech at the White House June 21. “We have a population of 80 million people, which means a huge market for American businesses.”

NIU will give tuition waivers to the Vietnamese scholars.

“[Vietnamese] are also very hard-working, creative and dynamic,” Khai said in his speech. “They are now working very hard to achieve the goal of building Vietnam into a strong country with wealthy people and a democratic and advanced society.”

The State Department will provide funding for other costs related to the fellowships.

The first students are expected to arrive on campus in the fall of 2006, said Rathindra Bose, NIU vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School.

All doctorate students are required to return to Vietnam after completing their academic programs in the United States.

They will concentrate their doctoral studies in several areas, including Southeast Asian studies, physics, biology, education and psychology.

The VEF is in its second year and has more than 100 students at 37 U.S. graduate institutions.

The VEF is governed by a board of directors with members including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Treasury John Snow, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings and several congressmen.