Program director named to trade mission cementing educational partnership

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Posted: Mar 30, 2011

Joel Weaver
Joel Weaver
Joel Weaver, director of the Hawai‘i English Language Program (HELP) at UH Mānoa, is heading to Indonesia and Vietnam as part of a U.S. Commercial Services trade mission led by U.S. Under Secretary for International Trade Francisco Sanchez.
 
Weaver is among a select group of representatives from 60 American universities, four-year colleges, community colleges and English-language programs traveling to two of the fastest growing markets in Asia—Indonesia and Vietnam—from April 2-9.
 
In November 2010, Presidents Barack Obama and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono jointly announced a comprehensive partnership between the U.S. and Indonesia, with a primary focus of expanding educational partnerships and exchanges between the two nations.
 
As one of the major educational initiatives following the joint announcement, the U.S. Department of Commerce, in partnership with ACCESS Education Beyond of the Putera Sampoerna Foundation, will host an education mission to Indonesia on April 3-4, 2011.
 
In Jakarta, activities will kick off with an alumni event on Saturday, April 2, to reconnect hundreds of Indonesian alumni to U.S. universities. The next day, the American schools will participate in a U.S. Higher Education Fair at Sampoerna Strategic Square.  Approximately 5,000 students from international, national and other top private high schools and universities in the Jabodetabek area, parents and school officials are expected to attend.
 
On Monday, April 4, a symposium on U.S.-Indonesian Higher Education Partnership & Exchange will be held with U.S. and Indonesian government officials and education sector executives, including Indonesian university and high school representatives. The mission in Jakarta will conclude with an evening reception at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence.
 
While in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in Vietnam, Weaver will take part in market briefings, education partnering workshops, and educational fairs where expected attendance should be between 1,200-2,000 people, among other activities.
 
“It is my hope that, through this education trade mission, I will be able to introduce Mānoa to many potential students, to reengage with alums, and to explore possible new programmatic and institutional linkages,” said Weaver. “UH Mānoa is perfectly situated in terms of geography, culture, and curriculum to appeal to students from Southeast Asia, and should be the first choice of many students from these countries.”