Last year, I wrote a total of 84 posts, an average of 7 per month.  Below are some of my favorite posts starting with one from February and ending with one from last month.  Collectively, they cover a lot of ground – from updates and personal stories to commentaries and analyses.    

If You’ve Got It, Flaunt It! – About nouveau riche behavior in the new Vietnam. 

International Student Mobility Research Report – According to a World Education Services (WES) report from last spring, While China and India are still too big to ignore, there are other emerging countries worth paying attention to, including Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Mexico, and Brazil. Recruitment to these countries should also be cultivated not only for campus diversity purposes, but also as a de-risking strategy.

Vietnamese Online: 35% & Rising! – An update about the high level of Internet penetration in Vietnam. 

Vietnamese Students’ Love Affair with Business/Management –  There is no sending country that comes close to Vietnam in the percentage of it students who choose business/management as a major. 

Top Ten Sending Countries & GDP: Vietnam’s Story – Vietnam ranks 8th among countries sending students to the US but 43rd in GDP.  This post delves into some of the implications of this extraordinary fact. 

To Emigrate or Not to Emigrate, That is The Question (With Apologies to Mr. Shakespeare) – While everyone who applies for an F-1 (student) visa has to pay lip service to the third criterion about returning home upon completion of their studies in the US, everyone knows how easy it is to emigrate, if so desired.  This is one Vietnamese student’s story. 

Secrets of the Capitalist Class (in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam) – A quick-and-dirty analysis of capitalism in cross-cultural comparison. 

“50 percent of Vietnamese teachers regret their career decision”  A sad commentary on the state of teaching in the Vietnam of 2012. 

Lane Community College Joins Capstone’s HCMC International Academic Center – Lane Community College (Eugene, Oregon) is the second US institution of higher education to become a member of Capstone Vietnam’s International Academic Center and the first in HCMC.  (I’m managing director of Capstone VN.) 

Welcome to My Neighborhood (aka Letting in the Fresh Air and the Flies) – An overview and analysis of some of the changes in my neighborhood that reflect broader changes in Vietnamese society. 

Bigger Isn’t Always Better: The Jerry Maguire Approach to US Higher Ed Fairs – The advantages and joys of small US higher education fairs. 

“Corruption in Education Creates Serious Consequences for the Poor” – An interview I did with a well-known Vietnamese education website.  Corruption in education was just one of a number of topics discussed. 

Vietnam Among Top Emerging Markets for International Student Recruitment – WES identified four emerging international student recruitment markets, including Vietnam.  The report, entitled Beyond More of the Same: The Top Four Emerging Markets for International Student Recruitment, “aims to address the information needs of higher education institutions by systematically identifying key emerging markets and offering near-term strategies to successfully nurture them.”

Vietnam Retains 8th Place Ranking Among Sending Countries – A Vietnam-related overview of the annual Open Doors report, issued by the Institute of International Education. 

Internet Penetration, Social Media & Student Recruitment – Yet another update on Internet penetration, including social media (e.g., Facebook!) and some implications for student recruitment. 

MAA