Finland Named World’s Happiest Country for Fifth Consecutive Year

It makes me happy to see the results of this annual report on happiness. The description sums it up: "The Experts say social support, honesty and generosity key to wellbeing." How much social support, honesty, and generosity is there in your country? For the uninitiated, this survey uses a variety of criteria to generate a … Continue reading Finland Named World’s Happiest Country for Fifth Consecutive Year

International Student Inclusion and Success: Public Attitudes, Policy Imperatives, and Practical Strategies

According to the results of a survey conducted by Robin Matross Helms and Sarah Spreitzer on behalf of the American Council on Education (ACE), The American public has high expectations for international student success. They recognize international students’ academic, cultural, scientific, and economic contributions as vital members of their communities—on campus, locally, nationally, and globally—both … Continue reading International Student Inclusion and Success: Public Attitudes, Policy Imperatives, and Practical Strategies

About Viet Nam’s “gifting culture”

Giving gifts to people in authority has become normal, but we have to be aware it institutionalizes an 'underworld.' Also known as an "envelope culture" (văn hóa phong bì) because envelopes are used for more than sending letters, so passé in the digital age, and giving "lucky money" (lì xì) at Lunar New Year.  A … Continue reading About Viet Nam’s “gifting culture”

Donald Trump & I Agree on Two Things

As we ease into the Solar New Year and look ahead with great anticipation to the 2018 Lunar New Year, here are some upbeat thoughts about Donald Trump's November 2017 visit to Viet Nam.  Let's start the year off on a happy note! In the weeks leading up to President Trump's visit to Viet Nam … Continue reading Donald Trump & I Agree on Two Things

BREXIT & US Election: No Major Short-Term Effects on VN Student Interest

This is the latest in a series of Diversification Market Reports produced by Hotcourses, the UK's leading course search company with more than 6,000 course providers.  (Hotcourses was recently acquired by IDP.) Below are an overview, executive summary, and list of the key takeaways, the most important of which is this:  BREXIT and the US … Continue reading BREXIT & US Election: No Major Short-Term Effects on VN Student Interest

Mapping Internationalization on U.S. Campuses-2017 Edition

This is an excellent report produced by the American Council on Education and sponsored by Navitas.  Here's a brief description from the ACE website: Conducted every five years, Mapping Internationalization on U.S. Campuses assesses the current state of internationalization at American colleges and universities, analyzes progress and trends over time, and identifies future priorities. It … Continue reading Mapping Internationalization on U.S. Campuses-2017 Edition

Open Doors 2016: Viet Nam Ranks 6th

According to the latest Open Doors (OD) report on international educational exchange, released today by the Institute of International Education (IIE) to kick off International Education Week (IEW), there were over 1 million international students studying in the US in 2015/16.  NOTE:  In contrast to the SEVIS by the Numbers quarterly updates, the OD data … Continue reading Open Doors 2016: Viet Nam Ranks 6th

Recruitment Beyond China: Lower-Middle-Income Countries Show Promise

Recruitment strategies that focus on lower-middle-income countries, many of which are home to an upwardly mobile, aspiring middle class, are particularly important for institutions that are outside the top-tier. Research by WES shows that outbound students from these countries, especially those at key inflection points in their academic careers, tend to prioritize career opportunities over … Continue reading Recruitment Beyond China: Lower-Middle-Income Countries Show Promise

Happy Planet Index: Viet Nam Ranks 5th Overall & 2nd in Asia Pacific

Vietnam ranks fifth in the Happy Planet Index results, and second in the Asia Pacific region. This Southeast Asian country, characterised by its mountains and tropical forests, has a strikingly low Ecological Footprint and economic output per head almost 24 times smaller than nearby Hong Kong. Vietnam is one of just three countries in the … Continue reading Happy Planet Index: Viet Nam Ranks 5th Overall & 2nd in Asia Pacific