A national strategy is needed.

These are the concerns of leaders at many Vietnamese universities when developing strategies to become destinations for international students.

ANSWERING THE "WHY" QUESTIONS

Professor Tran Diep Tuan, Chairman of the University Council of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, believes that Vietnam needs a national strategy if it wants to become a destination for international students. "We must answer the question: why do we need to attract international students? Is it to generate more tuition revenue, or to affirm quality and attract foreign talent to Vietnam? Only the second objective can help Vietnamese higher education develop sustainably. When we attract talented students to study in Vietnam, after graduation they will return to their home countries, creating a network of connections, which contributes to enhancing the country's soft power and improving the quality of our higher education," Professor Tran Diep Tuan stated.

International students participate in joint and exchange programs at the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Mr. Tuan, countries with developed education systems are willing to grant scholarships to international students from other countries. This is how they attract talent and intellectual resources, including Vietnamese people. "This is their national strategy. They have attracted many talented people. So, can Vietnam do the same? If we want Vietnam to become a destination that attracts talented foreign students, it's time we started thinking about this. Initially, we might just need to invest in a few key higher education institutions, build high-quality programs, and provide scholarships in certain fields," Mr. Tuan shared.

Professor Tuan continued with another question: Why do Vietnamese people want to study abroad in the US, France, the UK, Japan, Singapore...? Is it just to excel in their field of study? "Not necessarily. Specialization is important, but it's only one part. They want to study in an environment with an open-minded approach, where all potential is awakened and developed, and creativity is freely unleashed. If we want to attract foreign students, can we create such an attractive environment? That requires a long-term national strategy, a correct and clear educational philosophy," Professor Tuan analyzed.

DEVELOPING A CURRICULUM THAT MEETS INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

Professor Le Quan, Director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), stated that VNU annually accepts nearly 2,000 international students for undergraduate and master's programs. Since 2021, the VNU Director has issued a Party Committee resolution on the internationalization of education. Recently, VNU has also implemented a plan to convert 30% of its training programs to be taught in English. Furthermore, the university is actively promoting international collaborative training programs with the goal of reaching 5,000 students by 2030.

"We must use international standards as a benchmark to improve quality and attract international students. In recent times, the university has signed agreements with foreign partner universities, most of which are in the top 100 in the world . Currently, VNU has started training doctors for India, and the Vietnam-Japan University has also begun welcoming international students," Professor Le Quan informed.

Following this trend, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) has also developed a roadmap with specific solutions to attract international students, gradually implementing it synchronously across its member universities.

Class time for students in the international joint program at the International University (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City).

Associate Professor Vu Hai Quan, Director of the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), stated that the university has a vision and mission to "become a top-tier research university system in Asia, a place that attracts talent and disseminates Vietnamese knowledge and culture." To become a top-tier university in Asia, one of the criteria is to diversify its student body, meaning it must have international students.

"Currently, member universities are promoting teaching in English. Improving the teaching staff to meet requirements is a top priority for VNU-HCM. In recent years, VNU-HCM has developed the VNU350 program, aiming to recruit 350 outstanding young leading scientists from universities around the world to work here by 2030. To date, we have recruited 30 Vietnamese PhDs and scientists who are currently working at universities such as Berkeley, Caltech, and CMU (USA)...", Associate Professor Vu Hai Quan shared.

Besides preparing the teaching staff, Mr. Vu Hai Quan said that training programs must meet international standards if they want to attract foreign students. Currently, the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) leads the country in the number of programs that have achieved international accreditation, with more than 120 programs.

However, according to Associate Professor Vu Hai Quan, there are still many difficulties that universities need to address. "That's the language barrier. Teaching 100% in English is a huge challenge. Not only do lecturers need to be proficient in English, but staff in various departments and offices also need to be proficient in English. Regarding facilities, besides lecture halls and laboratories, universities must invest in adequate amenities such as sports facilities, recreational areas, and dormitories," Professor Quan said.

At the Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Professor Tran Diep Tuan informed that the university also has a strategy and is developing a specific plan to attract international students in the future. However, first, the university will continue to invest in improving quality and building internationally standardized training programs to train skilled human resources for the country, and then will focus on attracting talented students from abroad.

Filipino students at the University of Technology (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City)

PHOTO: SCHOOL WEBSITE

CREATING A GOOD LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Dr. Ha Thuc Vien, Vice Rector of the Vietnamese-German University, recognizes internationalization as a general trend among Vietnamese universities, with attracting international students being a key criterion. According to Dr. Vien, to achieve this, higher education must create distinctive value and meet students' needs for accessing and acquiring new knowledge. Furthermore, we must create a conducive learning environment and provide excellent career opportunities.

Besides improving the quality of training towards international accreditation, the University of Finance and Marketing also focuses on perfecting the staff in some units and departments, with the criterion that recruitment must meet English language requirements. "The university will also establish a student support department, training staff to assist with legal procedures and help international students integrate and adapt to the new environment in Vietnam," added Associate Professor Pham Tien Dat, Rector of the University of Finance and Marketing.

Associate Professor Dr. Doan Ngoc Phi Anh, Vice Rector of the University of Economics (Da Nang University), said: "Besides expanding cooperation with international partners and increasing English-taught programs, the university pays special attention to supporting international students with legal procedures, living conditions, and accommodation."

The University of Economics and Finance Ho Chi Minh City is also developing and offering programs taught entirely in English, investing in facilities and support services such as accommodation, libraries, learning centers, and other amenities. The university will have a dedicated staff to assist international students with admission procedures, visas, cultural adaptation, and academic and life counseling services.

Vietnam currently has favorable conditions.

Speaking about the advantages, Associate Professor Vu Hai Quan said that Vietnam is a country with an open and rapidly developing economy. "In reality, many young people from all over the world want to come to Vietnam to seek career opportunities and explore the history, culture, and people of Vietnam. The cost of living in Vietnam is also quite low. These factors could contribute to making higher education a destination for international students in the not-too-distant future," Associate Professor Vu Hai Quan stated.

Dr. Tran Ai Cam, Rector of Nguyen Tat Thanh University, also commented: "Vietnam is currently pursuing a policy of expanding and promoting foreign investment in the education sector. This will create momentum for foreign educational institutions to participate in the Vietnamese education market, leading to more competitive training costs regionally and internationally."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tro-thanh-diem-den-cua-sinh-vien-quoc-te-can-chien-luoc-quoc-gia-185241016230241965.htm