Author: Mark A. Ashwill

The End of An Era: Life Without the IIE Higher Education Fairs

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , , ,

There was a time when IIE higher education fairs were all the rage in Vietnam, when IIE and its EducationUSA advising centers were one of the few quality games in town.  You announced the fairs, did some light publicity and, Lord, did they ever come...  in droves.  There was such an unquenchable thirst for information … Continue reading The End of An Era: Life Without the IIE Higher Education Fairs

William Loveland College Offers $4.5K MBA Program

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary ,

I recently read about this program on the website of a Vietnamese educational consultant.  At $4,500 for the entire MBA degree program, which includes 45-semester credit hours of coursework, this online program must be the cheapest of its kind.  (Correct me if I'm wrong.) William Loveland College (WLC) is located in Loveland, CO, south of … Continue reading William Loveland College Offers $4.5K MBA Program

“Why do Vietnamese students refuse to return home after studying abroad?”

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , ,

If only the world were that simple.  Fortunately, in this case, it's not.  Many remain overseas for various reasons, mostly related to career opportunities and earnings potential.  Some fall in love and end up marrying a host country national while others choose to study in a field that is either at an early stage of … Continue reading “Why do Vietnamese students refuse to return home after studying abroad?”

“Advanced degrees not a guarantee of employment in Vietnam”

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , ,

Vietnam had 10.7 million trained workers (who have short-term training certificates, finish intermediate school, junior college and have bachelor’s and master’s degrees) which accounted for 20 percent of the labor force. Of these, 4.47 million have a higher education level. Like many other countries, including the US, Vietnam is afflicted with the disease of credentialism.  … Continue reading “Advanced degrees not a guarantee of employment in Vietnam”

Mapping SEVIS By the Numbers

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Updates ,

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!

Mark A. Ashwill Reports , , ,

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

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Survey , , , , , , ,

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