HANOI -- The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) today announced a three-year partnership with Vietnamese institutions to enhance social work education in Vietnam.

Funded by USAID, the Social Work Education Enhancement Program is an international consortium coordinated by San Jose State University of California and includes Vietnamese universities, the Ministries of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and Education and Training, community stakeholders, and private-sector partner Cisco Systems, Inc.

"Social work represents an integral part of our vision for social sector support and we are privileged to work with the Government of Vietnam and universities in this key area," said USAID Mission Director Joakim Parker. "The new partnership will strengthen the social work profession to deliver high quality social services in a variety of critical sectors. We applaud San Jose State University and Cisco's vision for public-private partnerships."

Although social work is a relatively new field of study in Vietnam, the country has made significant strides in developing social work as a profession and implementing social work education programs. Following the Ministry of Education and Training's recognition of social work as a profession in 2004, there are now more than 40 universities and colleges providing undergraduate social work training in the country, with more than 2, 500 graduates. In 2011, the University of Labor and Social Affairs and Vietnam National University (Hanoi) started the first Master's of Social Work programs in the country. Recently, Vietnam set up a National Association of Social Workers.

The new initiative will develop and implement undergraduate social work policies and practices, develop competency-based, practical curricula, regional centers for excellence in social work education, and a leadership academy for social work faculty and administrators. Together with private-sector partner, Cisco, the program will create a 21st Century model for higher education content and use of technology networks to improve teaching and leadership skills and strengthen collaboration.

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See more photos of Social Work Day in Hanoi.