Investing in Science, Engineering and People

Computer chip maker Intel earns the Award for Corporate Excellence for its efforts to boost engineering education in Vietnam.

When computer chip maker Intel Corporation opened a plant in Vietnam, the company’s largest in the world, it generated thousands of jobs. But Vietnam, a country transitioning from an agriculture- to a knowledge-based economy, lacked the highly skilled workers to fill those jobs. Instead of looking elsewhere for employees, Intel invested in Vietnam.

By partnering with the Vietnamese government, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Arizona State University, Intel established the Higher Engineering Education Alliance Program (HEEAP) to help Vietnamese universities improve their science and engineering programs.

Aimed at sparking systemic change, HEEAP started with leadership workshops for university rectors and deans, then continued with faculty training on active learning approaches and problem-based curriculum. By 2012, HEEAP had trained 122 Vietnamese faculty members at Arizona State. An additional 200 faculty members received training at in-country workshops. In 2013, Intel and its partners announced an expansion to HEEAP that will include leadership development, distance learning and English-language education, among other components.

In addition to improving higher education in Vietnam, Intel has promoted sustainable development. All of Intel’s plants in Vietnam recycle and treat their wastewater. The company has also built Vietnam’s largest solar power plant, significantly reducing its carbon dioxide production.

Intel received the U.S. Department of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence in 2012 for its efforts to advance education and protect the environment of Vietnam.