Fact: According to the Ministry of Education and Training, from 1987-2009, the number of students was thirteen times higher, while the number of lecturers only tripled. Fact: The current average ratio of students to lecturers is 28:1. At the Ho Chi Minh City University of Foreign Languages and Information Technology it is 47.3/1, at the … Continue reading “Universities weep over shortage of lecturers”
Commentary
Buyer Beware: The Potential Pitfalls of Agency-Based Recruitment
In the remarks referenced in my last post Ambassador Michalak also spent a couple hundred words on the subject of education consultants, or agents. His advice was spot-on (my italics): "Some parents may choose to work through an agent when looking to find the appropriate school for their child in America. Agents are local representatives for … Continue reading Buyer Beware: The Potential Pitfalls of Agency-Based Recruitment
U.S. Ambassador Highlights Accreditation in Remarks
I was pleased to see Ambassador Michael Michalak talk at considerable length about accreditation at a recent ribbon cutting ceremony for the Embassy's new EducationUSA advising office. In fact, over half of his speech focused on this important topic. When I was IIE-Vietnam country director from 2005-09, this was one of my "signature issues," and … Continue reading U.S. Ambassador Highlights Accreditation in Remarks
Offshore Development Centers “Off the Beaten Path”
As promised and following up on my recent Intel post, here are a few words about Enclave Offshore Development Centers, a small forward-looking U.S. IT company in Danang. For some background information about Enclave, check out this 2008 article entitled Da Nang's transformation into Vietnam's 'next place'." While Enclave obviously doesn't have the resources Intel … Continue reading Offshore Development Centers “Off the Beaten Path”
Americans and the Other
No, this is not a Vietnam-related post, at least not directly. Indirectly, however, there is a Vietnam connection. I was invited to speak to a group of US higher education colleagues about Vietnam in early February 2010 at a seminar in Washington, D.C. During my presentation, the snow began falling right on schedule, and kept falling throughout that day and … Continue reading Americans and the Other
“Education is not the means to an end”
Fields Medal winner says the Vietnamese youth has to change its attitude towards education and develop a thirst for knowledge Ngo Bao Chau, dual French and Vietnamese citizen, recipient of the 2010 Fields Medal, the "Nobel Prize" of mathematics, is everywhere these days. After receiving his award at the International Congress of Mathematicians in India, Professor Chau … Continue reading “Education is not the means to an end”
“Business for a Cause”
Vietnamese-American David Duong has spun gold from American trash I especially like the first line of this 27.8.10 Thanh Nien News article. David Duong is the classic rags-to-riches story. He saw an opportunity and took advantage of it. His companies, California Waste Solutions and Vietnam Waste Solutions are excellent examples of "doing well and doing good." His ambitious … Continue reading “Business for a Cause”
What A Difference a Month Can Make: Rogue Providers & the Power of the Press
Some of you may recall that I posted a list of unaccredited US-based/affiliated higher education providers in early July. The purpose of the list is simple: to educate "consumers" of US and other foreign higher education so that they can make an informed decision about the value of the education and training being offered. (I did … Continue reading What A Difference a Month Can Make: Rogue Providers & the Power of the Press
“US education co-operation brings positive changes”
A good interview with Steve Maxner, chairman of the board of directors of the Vietnam Education Foundation (VEF), which appeared in the 19 July 2010 issue of the English language daily, Viet Nam News. (Dr. Maxner is also director of the Vietnam Center at Texas Tech University.) A little-known fact about the origins of the … Continue reading “US education co-operation brings positive changes”
In Retrospect: The 1st Alumni Conference for US-Educated Vietnamese
It was just over a year ago (i.e., 25 July 2009) that the first ever alumni conference for US-educated Vietnamese was held in Ho Chi Minh City. The conference announcement stated that "This historic conference will bring together Vietnamese alumni of regionally accredited US colleges and universities in order to learn about and celebrate their many achievements, … Continue reading In Retrospect: The 1st Alumni Conference for US-Educated Vietnamese
An International Educator in Vietnam 
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