ASEAN Research Program

Cambodia is a country of contradictions. It has one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia, but large portions of the country still depend on traditional fishing and agriculture. It has democratic processes, but the same party has been in power for decades. It still bears the scars of the Khmer Rouge regime, but a dynamic youth sector is charting its own course.

Of all of the changes that have taken place in the last decade, the rise of a large and distinct youth demographic is arguably the most important. Young Cambodians are more educated, more outward looking and more connected than any previous generation. Tapping into the energy and optimism of this youthful core is critical to Cambodia’s future success.

The Fulbright Program plays an important role in supporting bilateral relations by bringing U.S and Cambodian youth and educators together. Cambodia’s higher education system is still developing, giving U.S. Fulbrighters the opportunity to have an outsized impact on teaching, curriculum development and program evaluation. Cambodia presents endless opportunities for research, both as a stand-alone country and as part of the ASEAN region. Previous Fulbrighters have made significant contributions in fields including political science, agriculture, environmental studies, education, nursing, health and biochemistry.

The U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh provides a full range of support services to U.S. Fulbright Scholars, including an in-country orientation, housing information, visa assistance, and help connect Fulbrighters with the Embassy's community and network when needed.

Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous nation and third largest democracy. With more than 17,000 islands, this vast archipelago is rich in natural resources and possesses exceptional biodiversity. Its cultural diversity and heritage--with numerous ethnic groups and hundreds of local languages--matches its natural diversity. Since political reform begun in 1998, Indonesia has worked to strengthen its democratic governance, and as the largest economy in Southeast Asia, it is critical to regional stability.

Finding housing in Indonesia is perhaps not always easy, but many housing agencies can help scholars navigate this process. Host institutions also can assist since they know more about the local environment. Apartments are more common in larger cities, while in smaller cities, options range from rental homes, boarding and guest houses, and home stays.

Most cities now have online transportation service that can be accessed through apps, like Gojek and Grab. In large cities, buses, trains, and taxis are common and in most places, it is possible to hire a car and driver for longer journeys in and out of town. 

For scholars who bring dependents, there are more options for International (English-language) schools in larger cities, such as Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, and Denpasar.

For more information about living in Indonesia, please access this link.

Malaysia is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious federation of 13 states and three federal territories that boasts one of Southeast Asia's most vibrant economies. A confluence of Malay, Chinese, Indian and indigenous tribes co-exist in areas as disparate as sandy beaches, urban centers, and tea plantations, though racial and religious divides persist.

Researchers and teachers in fields such as agriculture, forestry, and tropical ecology, environmental studies, Southeast Asian history, and society, media and information technology, cultural studies, public health, and Islamic topics are highly sought.

Real Estate agents are available to assist you in finding adequate housing. Click the link for more information https://www.propertyguru.com.my/property-for-rent

The light rail system (LRT) and monorail (MRT) provide very good transportation services in the city and suburban areas. The ride-hailing service Grab operates very similar to Uber or Lyft in the United States. 

Grocery stores, located in most areas, are well stocked with international products of all types. 

The cuisine is majorly a combination of Malay, Chinese and Indian because of its geographical location. There are also many fine continental restaurants serving all types of Western and local dishes. 

One of the benefits of being in Malaysia is that the cost of living is very affordable for the high quality that it offers. From accommodation and utility expenses to food and travel expenses, daily expenses are highly manageable according to different affordability levels and preferred lifestyles. Fortunately, Malaysia is a multi-lingual country, hence language barrier is hardly an issue to contend with. The national language is Malay, and other common and fluently spoken languages include English, Mandarin, and Tamil. 

Fortunately, Malaysia offers high-speed and affordable communications infrastructure as a means to stay connected to family and friends around the world.

Malaysia experiences sunny summer days all year round interspersed with tropical rain showers. Although it can be humid, it’s never too hot, with temperatures ranging between 20°C to 33°C. Dress comfortably in light clothing.

Discover Amazing Malaysia 

The Philippines is a place of natural wonders and dynamic cultures gathered along the second largest archipelago in the world set in the western Pacific Ocean.

The Philippines is an incredibly diverse nation in terms of language, religion, ethnicity and also geography. Providing quality primary education, maternal health and mitigating the effects of climate change pose the biggest development and economic challenges in the country.

The Philippine Commission on Higher Education regulates 2,229 higher education institutions that can be classified as public and private. The Philippine higher education system has strong similarities in structure to the U.S. higher education system.

The academic year runs from August to May with the first semester running August to December and the second semester running January to May.

Singapore is one of the world’s busiest trading ports and a vibrant banking and business capital with a multicultural society. The quality of education in Singapore is high by world standards, partly the outcome of a bilingual education policy, with English being the medium of education starting from elementary school all the way through tertiary education. Singapore is home to six universities. There is a large number of international faculty members at Singapore universities, and Fulbright Scholars adjust fairly easily to their grant activities.

Thailand connects mainland and maritime Southeast Asia through key transport corridors supported by modern facilities and infrastructure, making it an ideal hub of communication. Such strategic positioning also blesses Thailand with diversity resembling various religions, ethnicities, languages, foods, and cultures of Southeast Asia.

Allied with the Fulbright vision, the Thailand-U.S. Educational Foundation (TUSEF) seeks applications based on mutual benefits to Thailand and the United States of America with meaningful impacts on Thailand's development.

The Thai academic year runs from August to May. The first semester is August to December; the second semester is January to May.

In Vietnam, education plays a very important role in society. The promotion of learning and respect for teachers are amongst the traditional values of the Vietnamese people. In the recent years, the education system has continued to expand, but enormous educational needs persist for young Vietnamese citizens.

The national education system consists of formal education and continuing education. Schools in the national educational system are organized according to whether they are public or private. According to the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), as of AY 2016 – 2017, there are 235 universities and colleges, of which 170 are public and 65 are private. (Source)

The administration of education in Vietnam is centralized. MOET has responsibility for all education and training at the national level. However, there are several higher education institutions in Vietnam that are under other national ministries, government agencies or provincial people’s committees. Examples of this are the Hanoi School of Public Health, which falls under the Ministry of Health, and Hanoi University of Industry, which falls under the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Additionally, the two National Universities, although nominally under MOET, operate independently as separate entities and report directly to the Office of the Government of Vietnam.

The three regional universities, Thai Nguyen University in the north, Hue University and the University of Danang in the central, are under MOET and subject to management by the provincial People’s Committee.

The Vietnamese educational system is currently undergoing reforms, including of textbooks, curriculum and teaching methods, and its institutions are not always up to international standards, especially in the case of higher education. Out-of-date teaching methods are a key issue. Teachers focus more on discipline with limited discussion and interaction, while students are passively attentive and studious. Vietnamese see the U.S. higher education system as the global standard.

To support the ongoing development of Vietnamese higher education, in 2014 the U.S. Congress allocated funding to assist with the creation of a Western-style, independent university in Vietnam. Fulbright University Vietnam (FUV) was established in 2016 as the first private non-profit university in the country, inspired by the Western liberal education tradition.

To facilitate educational reform, the Vietnamese government has established policies to allow educational institutions to set up direct relations with foreign institutions to improve teaching and learning quality in Vietnam.

Because of the dynamic state of Vietnam’s educational system, Fulbright Scholars will have a unique opportunity to help Vietnam build its institutions. While this can be challenging and may require flexibility, many Fulbrighters in Vietnam find it enormously rewarding and build long-lasting relationships with Vietnamese institutions that lead to future cooperation.

Fulbright Scholars in Vietnam are able to teach or teach and conduct research in all disciplines.  For teaching grants, time will also be spent consulting and advising host institutions on curriculum and program development as well as providing staff training.