“Outdated Immigration Laws: Bad for Students, Worse for Local Economies”

It starts with the student visa process, which is one component of a broken immigration system.  At the end of the day, the only issues that really matter are: 1) ability to pay; and 2) whether or not the applicant is a terrorist. The first question in the holy trinity of the vetting process - … Continue reading “Outdated Immigration Laws: Bad for Students, Worse for Local Economies”

NACAC Takes Step in the Right Direction

Admissions group calls on colleges to require recruiting agents to disclose their financial ties to those they are seeking to recruit. I'm happy to see NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) moving in this direction.  Ultimately, of course, it's up to institutions to hold their education agents to high standards using a multifaceted carrot/stick … Continue reading NACAC Takes Step in the Right Direction

“Take responsibility for ensuring ethical recruitment”

Using education agents is fraught with risks, but those with a long-term vision realise that doing business ethically is better for business, so how do you choose wisely and ensure accountability? Here's my latest University World News piece, this time about ethical international student recruitment.  I wrote it in direct response to a July 2016 … Continue reading “Take responsibility for ensuring ethical recruitment”

The Agony of Choice

A Proliferation of Overseas Study Destinations for Vietnamese Students The number of possible overseas study destinations is increasing for Vietnamese students, which is an encouraging trend for both them and their families. Below are the top 10 most expensive and inexpensive countries to study in, according to a 22.9.16 Independent article entitled Germany and Sweden … Continue reading The Agony of Choice

Choosing Clients & Partners is a Two-Way Street: Quality Matters

Money is how companies with no ethical compass measure success. The company I work for, Capstone Vietnam, a full-service educational consulting company founded in 2009, with offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), works exclusively with regionally accredited (RA) institutions of higher education in the US.  As far as I know, it's the … Continue reading Choosing Clients & Partners is a Two-Way Street: Quality Matters

Enrollment of Vietnamese Students at US Universities & Colleges Up by 640% Since 2001/02

According to Open Doors data, the number of international students in the U.S. universities and colleges from 2001/02 to 2014/15 increased by 67% to reach nearly 975,000 students. That increase for Viet Nam was 640%, which places it among the top five sending countries that have experienced a growth rate of over 100%. As the … Continue reading Enrollment of Vietnamese Students at US Universities & Colleges Up by 640% Since 2001/02

Viet Nam Still Ranks 6th Among All Sending Countries in Int’l Enrollment

There are currently 1.11 million F and M students studying in the United States, a 5.5 percent increase since July 2015, according to the latest SEVIS by the Numbers report. Viet Nam remains in 6th place, behind Canada and ahead of Japan, with 26,209 students at all levels, as of July 2016.  (That figure was … Continue reading Viet Nam Still Ranks 6th Among All Sending Countries in Int’l Enrollment

47 Signatories Urge Bob Kerrey to Resign from Fulbright University Viet Nam Position

Below is a letter that was sent to Bob Kerrey about his controversial appointment as chairman of the Fulbright University Viet Nam board of trustees, announced by John Kerry during President Obama's May 2016 visit to Viet Nam.  In case you're interested and are not up-to-date on this situation, here are some articles that have … Continue reading 47 Signatories Urge Bob Kerrey to Resign from Fulbright University Viet Nam Position

Chúc mừng ngày Quốc khánh! Happy Viet Nam National Day!

It was on this day, 71 years ago, at Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi, that Ho Chi Minh declared Viet Nam's independence from France under the new name of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam in a speech that invoked the US Declaration of Independence and the French Revolution's Declaration of the Rights of Man … Continue reading Chúc mừng ngày Quốc khánh! Happy Viet Nam National Day!

Another Rising Star in the World of Overseas Study

Germany is gaining in popularity among growing numbers of young Vietnamese.  What's not to like?  The prospect of a very inexpensive, world-class education in a country known for its stability, safety, strong and sustainable economy, and superb quality of life. All they have to do is study and master German, no small undertaking in a … Continue reading Another Rising Star in the World of Overseas Study