vietnam

Viet Nam Ranks 60th Out of 163 in 2018 Global Peace Index

Mark A. Ashwill Reports, Updates , , , , , , ,

Viet Nam is a peaceful country.  For those of us who live here, I'm stating the obvious.  According to the latest Global Peace Index report,  Viet Nam ranks 60th out of 163 countries surveyed.  That ranking is in descending order from the "most peaceful" (Iceland) to the "most dangerous" (Syria).  The "state of peace" categories include: very … Continue reading Viet Nam Ranks 60th Out of 163 in 2018 Global Peace Index

Record Number of B Visas Issued to Vietnamese in 2017

Mark A. Ashwill Reports, Updates , , , ,

Since information is power, or at least helps in many decision-making processes, I am always looking for trends based on statistics and other data.  In the last (2017) fiscal year (FY) ending on 30 September 2017, a record 100,423 B-1,2 (tourist and business) visas were issued to Vietnamese citizens.  The number of student visas issued during … Continue reading Record Number of B Visas Issued to Vietnamese in 2017

The Importance of Quality Digital Marketing Content: Some Negative Role Models

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , ,

I have the opportunity to look at a lot of digital marketing produced by educational institutions and am sorry to say that most of it is of subpar quality.  Sometimes, I'll even take a screenshot of an unimpressive example and send it to the colleague from the offending institution with a diplomatic suggestion or two … Continue reading The Importance of Quality Digital Marketing Content: Some Negative Role Models

Direct Applications on the Rise

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , , , , , ,

While Viet Nam is still primarily an agent-driven market, growing numbers of students are beginning to bypass education agents and apply directly to educational institutions, especially for certain types of institutions and programs with simpler application procedures.  In some cases, more than 50% of all apps are directly from students. The reasons for this recent … Continue reading Direct Applications on the Rise

New Website: Recruit in Viet Nam

Mark A. Ashwill Announcement , , , , ,

Below is an announcement about a new website created by Capstone Vietnam, a full-service educational consulting company of which I'm managing director. Peace, MAA This website is intended to serve as a one-stop resource for student recruitment in Viet Nam for colleagues from all over the world.  It was inspired by a session that Dr. … Continue reading New Website: Recruit in Viet Nam

How the Vietnamese Use the Internet, Including Social Media

Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary , , , ,

Since most young Vietnamese, including those planning to study overseas, are online, one question to ask yourself is: how big is your digital footprint in Viet Nam? Here is my latest PIE News blog post.  It's about an important topic that I discussed during my E20 webinar last week and in my recent StudyUSA Higher … Continue reading How the Vietnamese Use the Internet, Including Social Media

Rhetorical Question: “Why don’t Viet Nam’s universities rank higher in Asia?”

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Updates , , ,

There is a tendency in Vietnam, with the media as an on- and offline amplifier, to engage in self-flagellation about education and other societal issues rather than looking carefully at the broader context and the, sometimes, hopeful reality. This results in journalists and many Vietnamese playing the ‘blame game’. The obvious targets here are the … Continue reading Rhetorical Question: “Why don’t Viet Nam’s universities rank higher in Asia?”

Of Intercultural Incompetence & Chutzpah

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , ,

My wife and I recently had lunch at a restaurant in downtown Hanoi.  It was after the 12 noon rush and there was only one other guest where we chose to eat, a middle-aged white expat man who was eating, drinking, and reading a book.  So far, so good, right?  After a couple of very … Continue reading Of Intercultural Incompetence & Chutzpah

Season’s Greetings from Viet Nam!

Mark A. Ashwill Announcement , , , , ,

After yet another year of Information, Insights & (Occasionally) Intrigue, I would like to take a moment to wish you, dear reader, and your family a peaceful holiday season full of joy and cheer, and a Happy, Healthy, & Fulfilling Solar New Year!  While we may have different backgrounds and work in different fields and … Continue reading Season’s Greetings from Viet Nam!