The Group of Universities for the Advancement of Vietnamese  Abroad (hereinafter referred to as "GUAVA"), a consortium of institutions of higher learning in North America currently offering programs of instruction in the Vietnamese language, was formed at the University of Washington on August 1, 1993.  Current members of GUAVA are: Arizona State University, Cornell University,  Harvard University, Temple University, University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Los Angeles, University of Florida, University of Hawaii, University of Michigan, University of Washington, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Yale  University.

GUAVA members meet annually, usually in August, to discuss and plan Vietnamese Advanced Summer Institute (VASI), and to exchange ideas and carry out projects/workshops on materials development, methodology, as well as other professional interests.

GUAVA invites applications for membership from all other North American universities with an active interest in the teaching of Vietnamese. It also intends to extend its cooperative activities where appropriate to other institutions of higher education outside North America.  GUAVA will act as a network and clearing house for the following activities:

Advising the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI) with regard to the teaching of Vietnamese language courses.
Planning and administering the Vietnamese Advanced Summer Institute Program (VASI) in Vietnam
Promoting:

• The collection and archiving of Vietnamese language teaching materials. The establishment of minimum standards for various levels of Vietnamese language competency to facilitate inter university student exchange. The pooling of Vietnamese language teaching experience at the international level. The dissemination of effective methodologies and curricula specifically relevant to the teaching of Vietnamese.
• Facilitating international student and faculty exchange in the field of language teaching.

GUAVA is a cooperative organization, and its objectives do not imply the imposition of specific methodologies, curricula, or materials upon any member institution.  Rather, GUAVA  will make available a range of options  and opportunities from which every member may choose to benefit.

Contact Information:

GUAVA/VASI Southeast Asia Center JSIS Box 353650 University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195-3560

Phone: (206) 543-9606 Phone: (206) 616-2113 Fax: (206) 685-0668 Email: vasi@u.washington.edu

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Last updated, May 25, 2008