The Group of Universities for the Advancement of Vietnamese in America (GUAVA) is delighted to share groundbreaking news with our community of educators, scholars, and language advocates worldwide.
Our current GUAVA President, Ms. Chung Nguyen—Director and Senior Lecturer of the Vietnamese Language Program in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Columbia University—has been officially named a 2026 Vietnamese Language Ambassador Abroad (Đại sứ Tiếng Việt ở nước ngoài năm 2026).
Representing the United States, Ms. Nguyen receives this prestigious national honor in recognition of her lifelong dedication and transformative contributions to Vietnamese language education, cultural preservation, and academic promotion across the globe.
National Recognition in Hanoi
The designation was conferred by the State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam) during the official honor ceremony and Gala event held on August 12, 2026, in Hanoi under the theme “Gala Tiếng Việt thân thương năm 2026: Cánh diều bay cao từ tiếng mẹ.”
This initiative honors exemplary educators, community leaders, and advocates who have made outstanding strides in preserving and teaching the Vietnamese language among overseas communities and higher education institutions worldwide.
Leadership in Vietnamese Language Education & Innovation
Ms. Chung Nguyen’s recognition as a Vietnamese Language Ambassador reflects her tireless commitment to advancing Vietnamese pedagogy and building collaborative academic networks.
As President of GUAVA and Director of the Vietnamese Language Program at Columbia University, Ms. Nguyen has spearheaded numerous key initiatives strengthening Vietnamese language teaching across higher education:
- Pioneering Digital Humanities & Teaching Hubs: In collaboration with the Digitizing Vietnam team and GUAVA board members, Ms. Nguyen helped launch the Vietnamese Language Teaching Hub, creating open-access, searchable digital repositories for educators.
- Advancing Task-Based & Proficiency Pedagogy: Co-hosting and organizing workshops such as the VietTBLT series and GUAVA Innovation Award Showcases, fostering innovative teaching methodologies across universities in the U.S. and internationally.
- Building Inclusive Professional Communities: Sustaining platforms like GUAVA Connect and Member Highlights to connect instructors, promote inter-institutional resource sharing, and support emerging heritage and non-heritage language educators.
A Shared Honor for the GUAVA Community
This international recognition is not only a celebration of Ms. Chung Nguyen’s exemplary achievements, but also a source of great pride for the entire GUAVA community. It underscores the vital role that Vietnamese language educators play in bridging cultures, fostering multilingualism, and preserving heritage across borders.
On behalf of all GUAVA members, Executive Board, and colleagues in Southeast Asian studies worldwide, we extend our heartiest congratulations to Ms. Chung Nguyen!
We look forward to continuing our shared mission under her leadership, advancing Vietnamese language instruction, research, and innovation for generations to come.
For more details on the official recognition ceremony, visit the official announcement at SCOV News.
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