Here's my latest essay for University World News. The title is intended to be provocative but tells only part of the story. The spotlight is on what many of us refer to as the fatal flaw in commissions-based international student recruitment. Read the entire essay to find out the rest. Start with the above summary … Continue reading Imagine a World Without Education Agents (I Wonder If You Can)
Commentary
Dogs as Best Friends & Restaurant Dishes
This poor dog probably either ended up at a dog meat (thịt chó) restaurant or was resold. Purebred dogs fetch a higher price. Other dogs invariably end up at the former. I've driven by many of these restaurants men chowing down on dog meat and consuming large quantities of alcohol in what one website described … Continue reading Dogs as Best Friends & Restaurant Dishes
More Data on Vietnamese Students in the USA
Here are the latest Viet Nam-related stats from the SEVIS October 2021 update. (You can also access these data using this interactive map.) The picture is decidedly mixed with equal portions good, bad, and ugly. There are currently 24,011 students from Viet Nam at all levels, mostly in higher education. Viet Nam ranks 6th among … Continue reading More Data on Vietnamese Students in the USA
The Transformation from the Old to the New Continues Unabated in Hanoi
This is a building that I've kept an eye on ever since I moved to Hanoi over 16 years ago. It was a pharmacy back in the day. It also happens to be located in the Hoan Kiem District, a short walk from the lake, one of the most expensive areas of the city. Don't … Continue reading The Transformation from the Old to the New Continues Unabated in Hanoi
Former US Ambassador to Viet Nam Chooses Expediency Over Integrity Time and Again
Here's my latest for CounterPunch. Think of it as a follow-up to this August 2021 essay. Happy reading! Shalom (שלום), MAA
The Pentagon as Pentagod
I highly recommend this spot-on essay by William J. Astore, a retired lieutenant colonel (USAF) who earned his D.Phil in Modern History from the University of Oxford. He blogs at Bracing Views - Making Sense of a Vexing and Perplexing World. Astore is one of a growing number of former insiders who has turned against … Continue reading The Pentagon as Pentagod
The Lasting Legacy of Good Teachers
The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery. -Mark Van Doren Teacher’s Day is a special day for the appreciation of teachers, a once-a-year opportunity to remember, honor, and thank them for their contributions to the education of our young people and to society. For me, it’s one of many times throughout the … Continue reading The Lasting Legacy of Good Teachers
Vietnamese Student Enrollment in the US Drops by 9% in 2020/21
The US experienced a dramatic but not unexpected decline of 15% in its 2020/21 international student population bringing the total to under 1 million. The primary reason cited is the COVID-19 pandemic. Another important reason is the Trump administration. IIE probably didn't introduce this rather large (orange) elephant in the room because Open Doors (OD) … Continue reading Vietnamese Student Enrollment in the US Drops by 9% in 2020/21
The latest chapter in Vietnam’s valiant battle against the Delta variant
The good news is that most Vietnamese and expats are beginning to bask in the light at the end of tunnel. Hanoians getting exercise after the COVID-related restrictions were lifted in September 2021. Photo: Khanh Huy/ The Hanoi Times A revised and updated version of this article, originally published on 28.10.21 by CounterPunch, appeared in … Continue reading The latest chapter in Vietnam’s valiant battle against the Delta variant
Vietnamese Billionaire to Donate $211 Million to University of Oxford College
An announcement on the International Vietnamese Academics Network's Facebook page jumped off my screen. Ly Le, who posted it, mentioned that while it was Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao's (Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo) money and she could do what she wanted with it, she was sad for Viet Nam and for the donor. Ms. Thao is … Continue reading Vietnamese Billionaire to Donate $211 Million to University of Oxford College
An International Educator in Viet Nam 
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