Year: 2010

Training for Vietnam’s Higher Education Leaders

Mark A. Ashwill Conferences , , ,

Last week, I had the opportunity to participate in a weeklong training organized in Hanoi by the National Institute of Education Management (NIEM), a unit of the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET).  I spoke to a total of 120 Vietnamese higher education leaders about accreditation and quality assurance from a US perspective, as well as … Continue reading Training for Vietnam’s Higher Education Leaders

Old (But Interesting) News

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Events , ,

 Ms. Virginia E. Palmer, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Hanoi, Welcomes California Miramar University's 6th MBA Cohort (Source:  California Miramar University) This is the kind of headline that immediately conjures up images of MasterCard's Priceless advertising campaign.   Having two U.S. Embassy representatives, including a deputy chief of mission, and the country director of … Continue reading Old (But Interesting) News

U.S. Higher Education Delegation Visit: A Sign of the Times

Mark A. Ashwill Events

Last month, a group of U.S. higher education colleagues representing some of America’s finest colleges and universities came to Vietnam to explore opportunities for cooperation, including intensive English and university pathway programs, student recruitment, custom-designed short programs, professional Master’s degree programs, certificate programs, research that cuts across institutional and national boundaries, study abroad programs for … Continue reading U.S. Higher Education Delegation Visit: A Sign of the Times

Education Mission 2011: Indonesia & Vietnam

Mark A. Ashwill Conferences, Events , , , , ,

This April 2011 "education mission" to Indonesia and Vietnam, organized by the US Department of Commerce and described below, is most suitable for newcomers to the Vietnam market.  Check out the BuyUSA.gov website for more information.  On a side note:  this event should dispel any doubts you may have had about the importance of education and these … Continue reading Education Mission 2011: Indonesia & Vietnam

The Times They Are a-Changin’: Agency-Based Recruitment

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , ,

Agency-based recruitment has belatedly been embraced by U.S. colleges and universities even as it is becoming passé, one example among many that the US has much to learn from the rest of the world.  It is only one of a growing number of options in the international student recruitment "bag of tricks" and already has limited utility in increasingly competitive markets such as Vietnam.  Those schools … Continue reading The Times They Are a-Changin’: Agency-Based Recruitment

U.S. Visa Policy: Guilty Until Proven Innocent

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , ,

“Applicants must demonstrate that they properly meet student visa requirements.”  In other words, the onus is on the applicant to make her/his case and do it quickly.  The application fee of $140 and the SEVIS fee of $200 ensure a visa interview that usually lasts in the five-minute range.  As most of you probably know, the “big three” … Continue reading U.S. Visa Policy: Guilty Until Proven Innocent

VEF: From Vietnam With Money ($)

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , ,

In April 1997, during a three-day visit to Vietnam, then Secretary of the Treasury Robert Rubin announced that the Vietnamese government had agreed to repay the $146 million wartime debt of the former South Vietnam.  Four years earlier, Vietnam agreed in principle to assume the debt from its former enemy as part of a larger … Continue reading VEF: From Vietnam With Money ($)

About Comments

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary

Since An International Educator in Vietnam just celebrated its first anniversary, a word about comments is in order.  I appreciate (and "approve") most of the comments I receive because they contain useful information, valuable insights or a combination thereof.  There are some others that clearly fall into the "smart ass" or "smart aleck" category, defined by Merriam-Webster as an obnoxiously … Continue reading About Comments

“Students warned of rogue education providers”

Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary , , ,

This excellent article by Le Quynh Anh, which included an interview with me, appeared in the 18 November issue of the English language daily Viet Nam News.    Below is the unabridged version of that interview.  As the international educator, who has five years of experiences working in Vietnam, what are the reasons do you think behind … Continue reading “Students warned of rogue education providers”