Celebrating 30 years of collaboration with National Economics University

Representatives from National Economics University and Boise State University gathered in Vietnam to dedicate a tree planted on the NEU campus in honor of their longstanding partnership.

In October, leaders from the National Economics University in Hanoi, Vietnam, planted a camphor tree on the NEU campus to commemorate the university's 30-year partnership with Boise State University. Boise State representatives dedicated the tree alongside NEU officials, faculty and alumni. Camphor trees can live for thousands of years, and the tree serves as a living symbol of a friendship between the two universities.

The tree is planted near NEU's A2 building, which is part of the university's International School of Management and Economics. During the ceremony, representatives from Boise State's College of Business and Economics and NEU watered the tree together in a symbolic gesture.

"For thirty years, Boise State and NEU have grown together - rooted in trust and shared purpose," said Brian O'Morrow, senior director of Executive Education and MBA programs for working professionals. "This tree will keep telling that story long after we're gone, offering shade and opportunity to the next generation of students and leaders."

The stone plaque beside the tree reads: "Camphor Tree, Commemorating 30 years of cooperation, National Economics University (NEU) and Boise State University (Idaho, USA) 1995-2025, 3 cohorts NEU-BSU MBA 1995 - 1997 - 1999."

Boise State University leaders will also plant a tree to commemorate the partnership, which will be dedicated when NEU's leaders visit campus in the spring.

Three decades of growth

Representatives from Boise State, NEU and NEU students attended the dedication.

Boise State's relationship with NEU started in 1994, when Nancy Napier, Boise State distinguished professor emerita, taught a program to "train the trainers" with the primary goal of equipping NEU faculty to train Vietnam's future managers. A three-week adventure grew into a nine-year long project training Vietnamese government officials, university educators and business people in market economics and western-style business skills. Ultimately, 84 Vietnamese earned their MBAs from Boise State. Many of these Boise State MBA alumni now hold prominent positions as leaders in education, business and government, including NEU's President, Bui Huy Nhuong. In 2016, the two universities established a "2+2 program" inviting Vietnamese students to spend two years studying in Vietnam followed by two years at Boise State. In addition, each year Boise State's Executive MBAs conduct marketing and sourcing projects for Idaho companies and NEU students support those projects.

Recognizing Nancy Napier

Nancy Napier, Boise State distinguished professor emerita, and Bui Duc Tho, party secretary, chairman of the council of National Economics University and associate professor.

At the tree planting ceremony, NEU also gave Napier a plaque recognizing her 30 years of dedication to Vietnamese students and the university. Napier has taught in Boise State's Executive MBA program, serving as an instructor for the Business in a Global Environment class and lead faculty for its annual residency in Vietnam. Fittingly, this was Napier's last year working with the program in an official capacity, as she plans to fully retire after this year.

"Like trees, our partnership started small and has grown to be quite strong; and like trees, our leaves and roots now intermingle," Napier said. "This is the oldest and longest partnership between any university in Vietnam with a university in the U.S. It's been an honor for those of us from Boise State to be a small part of Vietnam's remarkable change and growth over the years."

Representing NEU at the ceremony were several Vietnamese Boise State MBA alumni, along with NEU faculty, staff and current students who are part of the 2+2 program. Representatives from Boise State included Brian O'Morrow; Timothy Dunne, associate professor of management; Liam Maher, associate professor in management; David Hunt, associate professor and chair of the Department of Marketing; and Nancy Napier. The Boise State team was in Vietnam along with Executive MBA participants as part of their international residency.

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