“Universities weep over shortage of lecturers”

Fact:  According to the Ministry of Education and Training, from 1987-2009, the number of students was thirteen times higher, while the number of lecturers only tripled. Fact:  The current average ratio of students to lecturers is 28:1.   At the Ho Chi Minh City University of Foreign Languages and Information Technology it is 47.3/1, at the … Continue reading “Universities weep over shortage of lecturers”

Hiệp hội cao đẳng Cộng đồng Việt Nam/Vietnam Association of Community Colleges

The community college model is relatively new in Vietnam.  The Vietnam Association of Community Colleges (VACC) describes itself as a "social-vocational organization representing the common voice of universities, colleges and other training institutes following community college model in Vietnam."  The VACC has 31 members, including 26 universities, colleges and junior colleges. My colleague, Cindy Epperson, who is Professor of … Continue reading Hiệp hội cao đẳng Cộng đồng Việt Nam/Vietnam Association of Community Colleges

Buyer Beware: The Potential Pitfalls of Agency-Based Recruitment

In the remarks referenced in my last post Ambassador Michalak also spent a couple hundred words on the subject of education consultants, or agents.  His advice was spot-on (my italics):  "Some parents may choose to work through an agent when looking to find the appropriate school for their child in America. Agents are local representatives for … Continue reading Buyer Beware: The Potential Pitfalls of Agency-Based Recruitment

U.S. Ambassador Highlights Accreditation in Remarks

I was pleased to see Ambassador Michael Michalak talk at considerable length about accreditation at a recent ribbon cutting ceremony for the Embassy's new EducationUSA advising office.  In fact, over half of his speech focused on this important topic.   When I was IIE-Vietnam country director from 2005-09, this was one of my "signature issues," and … Continue reading U.S. Ambassador Highlights Accreditation in Remarks

Offshore Development Centers “Off the Beaten Path”

As promised and following up on my recent Intel post, here are a few words about Enclave Offshore Development Centers, a small forward-looking U.S. IT company in Danang.  For some background information about Enclave, check out this 2008 article entitled Da Nang's transformation into Vietnam's 'next place'." While Enclave obviously doesn't have the resources Intel … Continue reading Offshore Development Centers “Off the Beaten Path”

US and Intel Invest in Engineering Education in Vietnam

A couple of years ago Intel Vietnam had recruited just 40 qualified employees out of the 3,000 for its recruitment plan to 2010. The company reported that it lacked qualified engineers, technical team leaders and technicians. This is a common complaint among employers and shouldn't come as a surprise given Vietnam's current stage of development … Continue reading US and Intel Invest in Engineering Education in Vietnam

Americans and the Other

No, this is not a Vietnam-related post, at least not directly.  Indirectly, however, there is a Vietnam connection.  I was invited to speak to a group of US higher education colleagues about Vietnam in early February 2010 at a seminar in Washington, D.C.  During my presentation, the snow began falling right on schedule, and kept falling throughout that day and … Continue reading Americans and the Other

China and Vietnam: Gregoire’s upcoming trade mission aims to increase Washington’s export business

Gov. Chris Gregoire will help local companies reach international goals during her upcoming trade mission to China and Vietnam this fall. From Sept. 13 to Sept. 24, Gregoire will travel to Asia with representatives from 50 small and medium-sized businesses to create new export opportunities for the state. Follow this link to read the entire … Continue reading China and Vietnam: Gregoire’s upcoming trade mission aims to increase Washington’s export business

“Education is not the means to an end”

Fields Medal winner says the Vietnamese youth has to change its attitude towards education and develop a thirst for knowledge Ngo Bao Chau, dual French and Vietnamese citizen, recipient of the 2010 Fields Medal, the "Nobel Prize" of mathematics, is everywhere these days. After receiving his award at the International Congress of Mathematicians in India, Professor Chau … Continue reading “Education is not the means to an end”