Mapping SEVIS By the Numbers

This interactive map would be a great resource if it were accurate.  According to the August 2015 SEVIS by the Numbers update, there were 24,288 Vietnamese students in the US at all levels, i.e., secondary and postsecondary, but mainly the latter.  I seriously doubt that the number plummeted to 11,378 active students in one month. … Continue reading Mapping SEVIS By the Numbers

Open Doors 2015: More Double-Digit Increases for Vietnam!

Yes, dear readers, it's that time of year again - time for Open Doors 2015!  For the uninitiated - the Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange is an annual international academic mobility report published by the Institute of International Education with a grant from the US State Department. Below is a list of top … Continue reading Open Doors 2015: More Double-Digit Increases for Vietnam!

Vietnam Ranks 29th in Annual EF English Proficiency Index & 5th in Asia

Here's some more good news for Vietnam and colleagues from English-speaking countries who recruit here at the secondary and postsecondary levels.  According to the results of the EF (Education First) Proficiency Index, which profiles 70 countries, including 15 in Asia, Vietnam ranks 29th with "moderate proficiency" in English.  Last year, it ranked 33rd out of … Continue reading Vietnam Ranks 29th in Annual EF English Proficiency Index & 5th in Asia

“TPP: Americans and Vietnamese lose. Big corporations win.”

The title of this post and the bilingual document on which it's based, drafted by Chuck Searcy and Lady Borton, pretty much sums it up.  Chuck is a Vietnam veteran; Lady worked with all sides during the war. Both have worked in Vietnam since before normalization of US-Vietnam diplomatic relations 20 years ago.  Follow this … Continue reading “TPP: Americans and Vietnamese lose. Big corporations win.”

“Reconsider” – Of Startups, Making a Dent in the Universe & Living Happily Ever After

Below are some excerpts from a speech given at Web Summit 2015 in Dublin by David Heinemeier Hansson, spot-on advice for the dynamic and vibrant startup community in Vietnam.  Hansson describes himself on his personal website as "the creator of Ruby on Rails, founder & CTO at Basecamp (formerly 37signals), best-selling author, Le Mans class-winning … Continue reading “Reconsider” – Of Startups, Making a Dent in the Universe & Living Happily Ever After

Vietnam’s PISA Surprise

How has the country been able to overcome socioeconomic disadvantages to perform so well? Excellent analysis by M Niaz Asadullah and Liyanage Devangi Perera.  Asadullah is Professor of Development Economics and Deputy Director of the Centre for Development Studies (CPDS) at the University of Malaya, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA). … Continue reading Vietnam’s PISA Surprise

“best phd degree for purchase”

This search term and others like it, e.g., p.hd buy, lead unsuspecting netizens to my blog which, of course, doesn't provide information about how to buy academic degrees but rather rants and raves against diploma mills and rogue providers, most of which are based in the US, sorry to say. Speaking of the US, those who … Continue reading “best phd degree for purchase”

“Ten sure ways countries can turn away international students”

Here's another one: #11 - High Visa Denial Rate + No Accountability = Many students choose a 2nd choice country, which represents a loss, including that of a financial nature, to the admitting institution and original host country. The pursuit of global mobility in a world divided up into nations invokes a fundamental dilemma. Free … Continue reading “Ten sure ways countries can turn away international students”

“Vietnam’s Book People – A new exodus is taking place from Vietnam”

by Kris Hartley is a Visiting Lecturer in Economics at Vietnam National University – Ho Chi Minh City, and a PhD Candidate at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. More than two decades after the emigration of Vietnam’s “boat people” reached its apex, a new exodus is underway. Increasing … Continue reading “Vietnam’s Book People – A new exodus is taking place from Vietnam”