Below is a recent exchange on the Vietnam Studies Group (VSG) listserv between a Vietnamese-American professor and a young Vietnamese who recently graduated from a U.S. institution of higher education. The original post is in reference to an article by Roy J. Nirschel, president of the American University of Vietnam (AUVN), entitled "Picking Up the … Continue reading The State of Vietnamese Higher Education: Point/Counterpoint
Commentary
Of Emigration, Brain Drain & Brain Gain: Some Reflections
Over the years, I’ve known and helped many young Vietnamese who have studied overseas. Some I knew in passing; others became friends. Quite a few made the decision to remain overseas either in the country in which they studied or a third country. By doing so, they slowly but surely began the transformation from Vietnamese … Continue reading Of Emigration, Brain Drain & Brain Gain: Some Reflections
“Vietnamese Americans should come and live in Vietnam full time”
Interesting, insightful and heartfelt post by Minh, a HCMC-based blogger at Tech In Asia. Introduction: I’m a Vietnamese American. I’ve been living in Vietnam for seven years now. And in that time, I’ve only come back to the States a total of four times. Each time was less than a month. In other words, I’ve been living in … Continue reading “Vietnamese Americans should come and live in Vietnam full time”
Countries as Positive & Negative Role Models: The Link Between Education and the Economy
In the spirit of comparative studies in general and comparative education in particular here is yet another example of what countries like Vietnam can learn from countries like the United States in terms of what road(s) not to take - with ap0logies to the American poet Robert Frost. The American work force has some of weakest mathematical … Continue reading Countries as Positive & Negative Role Models: The Link Between Education and the Economy
“Review” of Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam
Haunting. This is the title of a "review" I recently posted on Amazon about Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam by Nick Turse, which is available in paperback today. Actually, it's not so much a review as it is a rebuttal to every criticism - or at least all of the ones … Continue reading “Review” of Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam
98% of Vietnamese Students Prefer English!
According to the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), 98% of all students want to learn English. While I knew that English was the most popular foreign language, I didn't realize it was THAT popular. This popularity, however, is a double-edged sword. While it makes it easier to focus resources on one area, it is exceedingly … Continue reading 98% of Vietnamese Students Prefer English!
Education Companies in Vietnam: Take a Walk on the Wild Side (Part II)
Note: Follow this link to read the first post in this two-part series. Due Diligence Some advice to my foreign higher education colleagues: don't trust any of the come-ons or be seduced by the slick lines in (sometimes) passable English that arrive in your inboxes on a regular basis. Do your homework, check references, and find out who's really behind … Continue reading Education Companies in Vietnam: Take a Walk on the Wild Side (Part II)
Education Companies in Vietnam: Take a Walk on the Wild Side (Part I)
In Vietnam, where cheating is a national pastime and ethical business practices are in dangerously short supply, the world of educational consulting is no exception. EducationUSA fantasies notwithstanding, the reality is that most parents and students work with an education agent instead of applying directly to U.S. (and other foreign) colleges and universities, as in other … Continue reading Education Companies in Vietnam: Take a Walk on the Wild Side (Part I)
“Revitalizing Vietnam’s Economic Miracle”
Last month, I was invited to speak to a group of U.S. students who are participating in a fall study abroad program that begins in HCMC and spends the remainder of the semester in Hanoi. My assigned topic was Revitalizing Vietnam’s Economic Miracle. After a brief refresher on Vietnam in the recent past, I took them on a … Continue reading “Revitalizing Vietnam’s Economic Miracle”
Gaming the System, International Student-Style
Gaming the system (also referred to as gaming the rules, bending the rules, abusing the system, milking the system, playing the system, or working the system) can be defined as using the rules and procedures meant to protect a system in order, instead, to manipulate the system for a desired outcome. Here’s a relevant hypothetical … Continue reading Gaming the System, International Student-Style
An International Educator in Vietnam 
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