Empower : to promote the self-actualization or influence of. This is a fitting slogan for VietAbroader (VA), a non-profit, student-run organization "dedicated to helping Vietnamese youth pursue higher education abroad and attracting talent (back) to Viet Nam." (Follow this link to learn about VA's values.) During my first trip to Vietnam in January 1996, a US diplomat … Continue reading Empower Vietnamese Youth
Commentary
“Get a Ph.D. in America Without Knowing English!”
This is the title of a June 16th article about U.S.-based rogue providers (unaccredited schools) operating in Vietnam (Làm tiến sĩ ở Mỹ nhưng không biết tiếng Anh!). The English translation of the article, entitled Director Questioned About Dubious US Doctoral Degree, was published on 6/23 by VietnamNet. The "university" in question is Southern Pacific University, which … Continue reading “Get a Ph.D. in America Without Knowing English!”
“Agent Provocateur” – The Growing Pains of Agency-Based International Student Recruitment in the U.S.
At a Hunan restaurant in Flushing, Queens, members of the newly formed Chinese Returnees International (CRI) suck on spicy spare ribs and quaff green tea. They've come for camaraderie and conversation--but they also have loftier goals. "Our primary concern is to make an easier road for overseas Chinese students who want to go back to … Continue reading “Agent Provocateur” – The Growing Pains of Agency-Based International Student Recruitment in the U.S.
“Employers give university graduates an ‘F’ in life”
According to a survey conducted by the Vietnam Institute for Educational Research, up to 83 percent of university graduates are considered by employers to be lacking “life skills”. Hard to define ‘soft skills’ – decision-making, working in teams, and time management – are major determining factors in the success of people. And university graduates seem … Continue reading “Employers give university graduates an ‘F’ in life”
Vietnamese Students in Australia: A Reality Check
Last year, there were more than 20,000 Vietnamese students in all sectors in Australia, including higher education, vocational education and training (VET), English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) and other courses (non-credit courses, enabling courses, eyc.). 5,400 were in VET and 5,300 in the higher education sector as of February 2010, according to the Australian Embassy in Vietnam. … Continue reading Vietnamese Students in Australia: A Reality Check
Attitudes and Perceptions of Prospective International Students from Vietnam
Vietnam is currently the fastest-growing market of international students coming to U.S. colleges and universities to study. Over the past decade, the number of Vietnamese students in U.S. higher education has increased more than sixfold, from just over 1,200 students in 1997/98 to almost 13,000 in 2008/09 (fig. 1). A large part of this increase … Continue reading Attitudes and Perceptions of Prospective International Students from Vietnam
State Int’l Education Consortia: Strength in Unity
A recent phenomenon in U.S. higher education has been the creation of state consortia as a cost-effective means of promoting a state's colleges and universities overseas as well as raising the profile of that state. Aside from the many well-known intrinsic benefits of hosting international students, there is the economic justification. The 671,616 international students … Continue reading State Int’l Education Consortia: Strength in Unity
An International Educator in Vietnam 
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