In my bustling neighborhood in the Cau Giay District of Hanoi, I can see over a billion dollars of local investment and foreign direct investment (FDI) from my front door, so to speak, where new condos, office buildings, and hotels are sprouting up like mushrooms. A field that just a few years ago was a hot spot for … Continue reading Welcome to My Neighborhood (aka Letting in the Fresh Air and the Flies)
Author: Mark A. Ashwill
Corruption in Education: The Scourge of Forged Documents
Dear US Admission Colleagues, As you may know, corruption in its many forms, both large and small, permeates Vietnamese society, including (use your imagination) and education. Vietnam ranks 112/183, according to the 2011 Transparency International Corruptions Perceptions Index (CPI). If you're Vietnamese or an expat who has lived in Vietnam for a long time, you know what I'm talking … Continue reading Corruption in Education: The Scourge of Forged Documents
Mapping international student segments with recruitment channels
Reposted from DrEducation, a blog by Dr. Rahul Choudaha, Director of Research and Advisory Services at World Education Services (WES), New York—a non-profit with more than 35 years of experience in international education and research. While Vietnam was not included in this study (i.e., the main focus was on China and India), it does have relevance for Vietnam. I'll discuss … Continue reading Mapping international student segments with recruitment channels
“50 percent of Vietnamese teachers regret their career decision”
This is one of the highlights of a survey conducted by the Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences (VIES), a damning indictment of the working conditions of Vietnamese teachers. The survey of 526 teachers from 27 schools in five provinces asked primary, secondary (junior high) and high school teachers this question: Would you still choose to work as a teacher, if you could make … Continue reading “50 percent of Vietnamese teachers regret their career decision”
“The Sea of Learning Has No Shore”
No "information, insights or intrigue" in this post just a simple yet profound sentiment that has been expressed in different cultures throughout the ages. It's one I enjoy seeing and contemplating, so much so that this picture graces the walls of my office.
List of Joint Training Programs Approved by the Vietnam Ministry of Education & Training
As of 20 June 2012, there were a total of 193 Ministry of Education and Training-approved joint training programs, including 172 in operation, 15 that no longer admit students and six (6) that are no longer in operation. The dates of approval range from April 2000 to June 2012. Fields of study range from Business Administration to … Continue reading List of Joint Training Programs Approved by the Vietnam Ministry of Education & Training
Secrets of the Capitalist Class (in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam)
COGNITIVE DISSONANCE: psychological conflict resulting from incongruous beliefs and attitudes held simultaneously. I recently came across the 3/12 issue of Kinh Tế tập đoàn (Economy Group), a bilingual magazine that features articles about a variety of business- and economy-related topics, including laws on regulating operation of state-owned enterprises and financial mechanisms and policies for state-owned economy groups and … Continue reading Secrets of the Capitalist Class (in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam)
Foreign ‘traffic cop’ wins big audience
A huge foreigner has stirred public imagination after being featured on VOVgiaothong.vn, the Voice of Viet Nam's traffic web site. The website released a short clip of the man acting as a traffic policeman in a one-way street. It shows a real scene at the intersection of Tran Binh Trong and Tran Nhan Tong streets … Continue reading Foreign ‘traffic cop’ wins big audience
To Emigrate or Not to Emigrate, That is The Question (With Apologies to Mr. Shakespeare)
I recently received an email from a Vietnamese student (I’ll call her “Hoa”) who just earned her bachelor’s degree in the US. Hers is the story of many young Vietnamese who study overseas, which is why I want to share it with you. I’ve changed the names to protect the innocent. 🙂 Hoa writes: I … Continue reading To Emigrate or Not to Emigrate, That is The Question (With Apologies to Mr. Shakespeare)
SJR Excellence Scholarship Recipient Meets Canadian Ambassador
On a recent sunny afternoon in Hanoi, Pham Quynh Anh, who was awarded the SJR Excellence Scholarship, the most generous scholarship ever awarded to a Vietnamese student, had the opportunity to meet with Deborah Chatsis, the Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam. It was a chance for Ambassador Chatsis to congratulate Quynh Anh on this extraordinary achievement and … Continue reading SJR Excellence Scholarship Recipient Meets Canadian Ambassador
An International Educator in Vietnam 
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