US Embassy talks with Humanities students: Denuclearization and the Vietnam - US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The speakers of the exchange session included Ms. Ashley Bartlett - Political-Military Officer, Ms. Kate Bartlett - Cultural Attaché and Mr. Barrett Bryson - Economic Officer.
During the conversation, Ms. Ashley Bartlett - Political-Military Officer shared: During the state visit to Hanoi, Vietnam, President Joseph R. Biden and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong elevated the US-Vietnam relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, renewing the strength and dynamism of the US-Vietnam relationship as both countries share the common goal of peace, prosperity, and sustainable development.

The elevation of the relationship between the two countries from the Comprehensive Partnership established in 2013 to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is the result of strong efforts by both governments to establish and build mutual understanding as well as share opportunities and challenges in a rapidly evolving world.

Aiming to support the two countries’ shared vision of bilateral cooperation, deepened institutional ties, and broader innovative economic engagement (including support for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF)), the United States looks forward to working with the Vietnamese government and people to expand engagement and announce new initiatives. Aspects of education development and promoting
study abroad between the two countries are also of particular interest to the two governments. Vietnamese students studying in the United States represent the fifth largest group of international students, and many are pursuing careers in science, technology, and engineering at community colleges, universities, and other higher education institutions. The Fulbright Program in Vietnam has connected thousands of scholars and students from both countries in fields such as climate science, business, and the arts, while preparing learners with knowledge and experience in their fields of expertise. 

The sharing session was lively, students actively exchanged with the speakers and thereby acquired a lot of knowledge, experience as well as valuable experiences to accumulate foreign language skills for themselves. Also at the sharing session, the speakers gave many useful advices to Humanities students about "tips" when studying abroad:
- It is not necessary to focus on big cities
- Choose a university based on your major Dr. Vu Thi Anh Thu - Lecturer of the Faculty of International Studies thanked the speakers for taking the time to talk with the Humanities students. At the same time, she hoped that in the future, the US Embassy in Hanoi and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities will have more academic exchanges, expanding cultural exchanges to further deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the US. 

Information about the speaker: 
Ms. Ashley Bartlett is a Political-Military Officer at the US Embassy in Hanoi. She previously worked in the Protocol Office of the East Asia and Pacific Office, supporting the Assistant Secretary. She also served as an ASEAN Affairs Officer focusing on political security issues in EAP/MLA, working at the State Department since July 2013, and has a history of serving on political/consular missions in São Paulo, Brazil and a consular mission in Hyderabad, India. 
She holds a BA in History and International Relations from the University of Georgia and an MA in International Relations and International Economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. 

Ms. Kate Bartlett is the Cultural Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi. Previously, she served as Assistant Information Officer in Bogota, Colombia, where she oversaw the embassy’s engagement with radio, print, and television journalists. As Assistant Public Affairs Officer in Chisinau, Moldova, she managed the embassy’s exchange, cultural, and English language programs as well as American Spaces. Kate also served as the Non-Immigrant Visa Director in Kabul, Afghanistan. 
Prior to joining the State Department, she served as a Public Affairs Officer for the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Kandahar, Afghanistan, where she oversaw the PRT’s communications strategy and cultural and educational programs. She completed a Boren Fellowship in Tajikistan and a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Indonesia. She speaks Vietnamese, Spanish, Persian, Romanian and Indonesian.