Author: Mark A. Ashwill

Fulbright University Vietnam & Free Speech: “Do As We Say, Not As We Do”

Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary , , , ,

hy·poc·ri·sy həˈpäkrəsē/ noun noun: hypocrisy; plural noun: hypocrisies the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform; pretense.   This is a concept to which US Americans, including and perhaps especially those who represent the US government and affiliated institutions, pay lip service.  Presumably, this also … Continue reading Fulbright University Vietnam & Free Speech: “Do As We Say, Not As We Do”

Of Dogs, Fleas, & the Occasionally Dirty Business of International Student Recruitment

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , ,

A Deal with the Devil aka Partners in Unethical Behavior? Discussions about the use of commission-based recruitment and international student recruitment in general are often couched in black and white terms.  The former refers to the unethical business practices of many education agents whose overriding goal is money, and lots of it as quickly as … Continue reading Of Dogs, Fleas, & the Occasionally Dirty Business of International Student Recruitment

“International recruitment offices in higher education are making big strides by partnering with agents”

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , ,

Now here's something you don't see every day, an advertorial or infomercial, if you will, in The Chronicle of Higher Education (CHE), the weekly "bible" of US higher education.  Here's the deal:  IDP, in this case, pays a lot of money ($11k) to place an article about how great it is for colleges and universities … Continue reading “International recruitment offices in higher education are making big strides by partnering with agents”

Meet the new boss, similar to the old boss: new agent regulations unveiled in Vietnam

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Updates , , ,

Vietnam is a country in flux and the international education sector is no exception. In fact, it is a case study of changes and reforms. Mark Ashwill, the MD of Capstone Vietnam, looks at the current regulatory system for education agencies and what consultants must do to succeed in this exciting market. This is the … Continue reading Meet the new boss, similar to the old boss: new agent regulations unveiled in Vietnam

HATCH! Fair the Fifth: Hanoi – Danang – HCMC

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Events , , , , ,

I had a great time at the the fifth HATCH! Fair in Hanoi.  I was there for part of the pitching competition in which young entrepreneurs have three (3) minutes to pitch their businesses to a jury board.  (Yes, it's exactly three minutes.  They run a tight ship!)  There are three (3) more minutes for … Continue reading HATCH! Fair the Fifth: Hanoi – Danang – HCMC

The Vietnam War – A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary ,

No Single Truth? This is the tag line of the latest documentary by Burns and Novick.  There are many stories to be told, mostly from the US American perspective because it's usually "all about US," but there is one truth, I believe:  the US should never have been in Viet Nam in the first place.  … Continue reading The Vietnam War – A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick

The Great Truth Has Great Silence

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , , , ,

Below are some thoughts about the US War in Viet Nam (the "Vietnam War") from Mike Hastie, a war veteran whom I had the privilege of meeting in Ha Noi.  They were originally posted on the Vietnam Full Disclosure website in the context of the Burns/Novick PBS documentary, The Vietnam War.  It is Mike's story … Continue reading The Great Truth Has Great Silence

“To many Vietnamese, US still a top overseas study destination in spite of Donald Trump”

Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary , , ,

Check out the facts and figures on why so many students are heading state-side. This is my latest English language article, written at the request of VNExpress International. I think it provides a pretty comprehensive update about the current situation for those with a personal and/or professional interest in the status of US-bound Vietnamese students.  … Continue reading “To many Vietnamese, US still a top overseas study destination in spite of Donald Trump”

Global Learning in a Time of Increased Xenophobia and Extreme Nationalism

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Events , , , ,

This is the title of an upcoming webinar that is the first in NAFSA's Academic Programs six-part Architecture for Global Learning - Series II.  Here is a brief description: Many institutions integrate global learning into curricula and co-curricular programming with the goal of producing graduates capable of contributing solutions to global problems. However, institutional leaders, … Continue reading Global Learning in a Time of Increased Xenophobia and Extreme Nationalism