Spreading Vietnamese language at a prestigious school in Malaysia

At the University of Malaya (UM) - Malaysia's leading national university, Vietnamese Language and Culture are taught as two elective subjects in the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics.

These two subjects regularly attract 100-140 students per course, mainly from Malaysia, China, Indonesia, India, etc.

Although Vietnamese Language and Vietnamese Culture are two different subjects, they complement each other, creating an interesting learning space where students can practice the language and foster a love for the subject.

Teaching Vietnamese at the oldest and most prestigious school in Malaysia is not only a simpleeducational activity, but also a bridge connecting the friendship between Vietnam and Malaysia.

At the Vietnam-Malaysia cultural exchange on the occasion of the 2024 founding anniversary of the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya, Professor Dr. Yvonne Lim Ai Lian affirmed: “At UM, we believe that education is not limited to textbooks and classrooms. Education also includes a deep appreciation for the diverse cultures that make up our world .

Through such appreciation, we can build stronger and more compassionate communities. Cultural exchange events are not only occasions for celebration, but also valuable opportunities for learning and connection.”

Indeed, language is a means of transmitting culture, and culture is vividly expressed through language. In the process of international integration, spreading the Vietnamese language also means bringing Vietnamese culture further on the world map.

Currently, the Department of Languages and Linguistics at UM offers undergraduate programs with nine language majors including Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and Tamil. In addition, there are a number of electives, including Vietnamese, science and technology and medicine.

Introducing Vietnamese coffee with Professor Sirinderpal Kaur, Head of the Department of Languages and Linguistics at the University of Malaya (second from left). (Photo: Hang Linh/VNA)

UM foreign affairs and security expert Collins Chong Yew Keat affirmed that language plays an important role in bilateral cooperation.

"Culture and people-to-people relations are the foundation for comprehensive relations between the two countries," he stressed.

In addition to high-level academic cooperation, we are interested in interactions in all areas including education, sports, tourism as well as cultural and language programs.

All of this is resonating, feeling closer, more easily between the people of both countries.

The exchange and cultural programs we have here are all geared towards giving our students a better understanding of Vietnam – its history and people, its culture, its language, its cuisine.

These common things can easily be overlooked if we don't have the necessary platforms for students to learn.”

According to him, when learners have mastered or at least know about the language, they will easily learn about other aspects such as culture, people... Language and culture are the starting point for all connections.

Similarly, for Vietnamese students, understanding the language and people of Malaysia is also the foundation for enhancing more substantive and deeper interactions in the future.

Speaking about Vietnamese lecturer Nguyen Thuy Thien Huong, Professor Surinderpal Kaur - Head of the Department of Languages and Linguistics at UM, said that the Faculty previously had a Vietnamese lecturer and professor accompanying it since its inception. However, after this lecturer retired in 2017, Vietnamese language teaching was temporarily suspended.

It was not until 2023 that the subject of Vietnamese language and culture was reintroduced after the Faculty recruited a Vietnamese master of linguistics, teacher Nguyen Thuy Thien Huong.

Ms. Huong is considered an excellent and experienced lecturer. Thanks to her, the learning atmosphere and love for Vietnamese culture among students have become deeper. The school in general and the Faculty in particular are very excited when Vietnamese is brought back to teaching.

Teacher Nguyen Thuy Thien Huong (fourth, right) takes a souvenir photo with students. (Photo: Hang Linh/VNA)

Sharing after the Vietnamese class, Malaysian student Muhammad Aimil Iman bin Hamizon enthusiastically said in Vietnamese that he wanted to find a job in Vietnam, so being fluent in Vietnamese is essential. In addition, discovering Vietnamese culture is also an interesting experience that makes the lessons more attractive.

Meanwhile, student Ong Zhi Yen confidently said that learning Vietnamese is not too difficult. Stemming from the desire to explore Vietnamese cuisine because he believes that Vietnamese cuisine has a lot of green vegetables, which are good for health..., he registered to learn Vietnamese and now he has made friends with many Vietnamese students at school.

As the only Vietnamese lecturer in the department, although very busy with classes, when sharing with a reporter from the Vietnam News Agency in Kuala Lumpur, Ms. Huong said she is very proud to spread the beauty of Vietnamese language and culture to Malaysian and international students at the school every day.

She believes that this journey of spreading is spreading the beauty of Vietnamese people. She always worries about her responsibility in helping students use Vietnamese fluently as a communication tool.

For her, this is also a journey to inspire students to love Vietnamese culture more through each lesson, each dish and each Vietnamese custom.

To bring Vietnamese language and culture closer to students, the teacher always incorporates cultural elements into her lessons, especially culinary culture, so that students can better understand and love Vietnam.

During his official visit to Malaysia from November 21-23, 2024, General Secretary To Lam visited and spoke at UM in front of a large number of lecturers and students of the school.

Opening his speech, General Secretary To Lam emphasized: “The National University of Malaya is not only a symbol of Malaysian education but also one of the leading knowledge centers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.

With a history of more than 100 years, the National University of Malaya has become the cradle of many generations of outstanding talents, including Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and five other Prime Ministers of Malaysia.

The University’s pioneering achievements in training and research not only contribute to the sustainable development of Malaysia but also bring practical values to the entire ASEAN region, in fields ranging from technology, medicine, environment to international research.”

Since 2017, the number of Vietnamese students studying at UM for postgraduate studies has increased, promoting cultural exchange and connection between the two countries to become increasingly closer and deeper./.