The partnership was signed Wednesday in New York. Nguyen Minh Triet, president of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is currently in the United States leading a senior-level government delegation during which Vietnamese executives from more than 100 companies will sign cooperative agreements valued at more than $4 billion.

This UH partnership is the first step in a projected long-term collaboration between the parties, a UH news release said. Based on the success of the initial program between the College and VBARD, a multiyear and multimillion-dollar formal agreement for future programs will be developed.

VBARD, established in 1988, is the largest state-owned commercial bank in Vietnam. As the largest partner of international development projects with microfinance components (World Bank and Asian Development Bank), VBARD has total assets of $2.7 billion, 5 million clients, 2,500 branches and more than 30,000 employees.

The Shidler College of Business Executive Education Center will provide training in the following areas: human resources development, training and updating skills in international payment, credit card management, treasury activities and investment management, and modern banking practices.

Shidler's Executive MBA is the first AACSB accredited degree program in Vietnam. It has been reported that graduates from the Vietnam Executive MBA program control about 25 percent of Vietnam's GDP. After seven years of successful operation in Hanoi, the Vietnam Executive MBA will be expanded to Ho Chi Minh City starting this fall.