Chris Zirkle, associate professor, Department of Educational Studies, College of Education and Human Ecology, has been awarded a 2025-2026 Fulbright U.S. Scholar ASEAN Research Award for “Technical-Vocational Education and Training Teachers in the ASEAN Region: A Three Country Study.”
The Fulbright study will compare and contrast the recruitment, preparation, retention and professional development needs of technical-vocational and training teachers in Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia.
From January – April 2026, Zirkle will be affiliated with Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Vietnam, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, Yogyakarta, Indonesia and University of Putra Malaysia, Seri Kembangan, Malaysia.
“The goal of this Fulbright project is to determine if the recruitment, preparation, retention and professional development of teachers is meeting the needs of each country. I also plan to determine if changes in policy and educational practices are needed. I also will compare and contrast this data with previous studies I have conducted in Finland, Norway, Switzerland and the United States,” Zirkle explained.
This is the second Fulbright Zirkle has been awarded. His first Fulbright was to Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences in the Autumn of 2021 in Helsinki, Finland.
Fulbright
The Fulbright Scholar Program is administered by the Institute of International Education and is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.
For more information about the Fulbright Scholar Program contact Joanna Kukielka-Blaser. View a complete list of Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program recipients.