Education for personal development to spread sustainably to the community
Reporter: - What motivated you to spend 25 years in the field of international education?
Dr. Le Bao Thang: - I was born in a poor rural area, surrounded by rice fields and potato rows. But I was fortunate to grow up in a family where both my grandparents and parents were teachers. The story of my extended family, a widowed grandmother who raised 7 children when she was only in her thirties but still fought hard to educate her children, was very touching. Her children grew up in such a difficult time but still grew up, became successful and contributed a lot to education and to society.
I grew up in that warmth, gradually molding and imbuing the meaning and importance of education to everyone. Especially in the field of international education, where every Vietnamese person has the opportunity to access the progress and modernity of the world .
In reality, there are many opportunities to go out into the world, but many students lack information, methods, and proper planning skills. I feel that I have a responsibility to help them overcome those shortcomings and deficiencies, not for immediate reasons, but more broadly, for the future of each student, each family, and the community.
I was greatly influenced by my father - Distinguished Teacher Le Duc Han - a famous and dedicated teacher, and was also inspired by Professor, Doctor of Education John Lee - a talented educator.
Reporter: - The Pioneer Scholarship that you have implemented for many years has brought opportunities for excellent students, especially poor students, to study. Could you share about this special scholarship and its effectiveness over the past time?
Dr. Le Bao Thang: - From 2004-2005, when working with many excellent students who dreamed of studying abroad but whose families did not have enough conditions, we supported them with many free services related to their study abroad applications, giving them exams and courses to prepare them.
In addition, we also organize charity activities in poor rural areas. From there, we established a Scholarship Fund, the predecessor of the Pioneer Scholarship today. Understanding the enthusiasm and meaning of the program, partners, donors and benefactors opened their hearts and accompanied in sponsoring tuition fees and providing scholarships.
That great response has brought opportunities to thousands of young people. And it has proven its effectiveness through the positive changes and great success of their lives. And that is why, on the occasion of our 25th anniversary, we continue to receive special attention and cooperation from strategic partners, with very large and valuable support numbers. Not everyone knows that scholarships are still being awarded regularly during the days when the whole world is immersed in a pandemic...
When flights were closed, when many study abroad plans were forced to stop midway, the Pioneer Scholarship became a new door - quietly and persistently opening hope for students. That path led them to prestigious schools in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Europe...
To date, more than 300 international high schools, colleges and universities have joined us in creating a scholarship network across five continents. More than 500 billion VND worth of scholarships have been awarded. Hundreds of scholarships, up to 100% of tuition fees at schools around the world, not only help students get closer to their dreams, but also reduce the financial burden for many families.
Reporter: - Could you share about the achievements that Vietnamese students receiving the Pioneer Scholarship have achieved in recent years? Besides obtaining degrees from major universities around the world, what should a true education help students achieve?
Dr. Le Bao Thang: - It can be said that with the Pioneer Scholarship program, we have changed many lives. Young people who used to be shy, now become leaders of start-up projects. Poor students from the highlands, now are postgraduates at international universities. Some have become inspirational speakers. Some have returned to their hometowns - building schools, becoming teachers, inspiring, spreading, continuing...
Obviously, a ticket of knowledge has brought many positive changes to the community.
Therefore, the Pioneer Scholarship has been and is being supported by the trust and love of: prestigious international schools, domestic high schools and universities, businesses, organizations, and philanthropists who are always devoted to the future of the young generation of Vietnam.
From that story, we can see that a degree is only the end, not the goal of education. Simply put, it is just a “note” to know what you have completed in school. True education must be viewed from the perspective of making learners become adults (knowing how to love, share and respect…), having real knowledge, knowing how to apply and exploit that knowledge to serve themselves, bringing value to the community and society. And certainly one thing, very important to have, is gratitude. Because gratitude is the source of all good things and success.
Reporter: -What is your educational philosophy? Has it changed in the current context of globalization?
Dr. Le Bao Thang: - I always have a very simple but strong belief: Education is the most sustainable way to change human destiny. Each person has their own potential, and the role of education is not only to impart knowledge, but also to awaken that potential, nurture personality and open up a world larger than themselves.
Globalization has blurred local cultural identities. Education, which in the past focused mainly on knowledge and personal ethics within a country, today, a progressive education must help students become “global citizens”, integrating and adapting to different cultures, overcoming geographical and linguistic borders.
So our philosophy has not changed, but expanded a bit, it should be: Education for development from individual to development, spreading sustainably to the community.
Get out of the box and think differently, think further.
Reporter: - Studying abroad is now considered by Vietnamese students, especially excellent students, as a door that opens up many opportunities for future study and work. With many years of experience working in the field of overseas education, do you have any advice or message for students?
Dr. Le Bao Thang: - It is true that the learning environment in many countries around the world opens up many opportunities for students, especially in higher education. For students with a foundation and courage, when choosing to study abroad, if you know how to do it seriously and responsibly, your chances of success are very high.
However, later success often comes to students who know how to take advantage of and apply progressive, modern educational values without forgetting the traditional values of the Vietnamese people. And in fact, in the context of today's flat world, not only studying abroad, students can also succeed in the domestic learning environment.
Be prepared to explore methods and make smart choices. Get out of the box to think differently, think further and think more logically. Inferiority and herd mentality can easily lead us to dead ends. Rich countries always have schools that offer tuition sponsorship programs for students who do not have the financial means to study. You have a reason to be welcomed by them. If you are not good at studying, upgrade yourself to a new level, show your special outstanding qualities, to receive valuable scholarships.
Reporter: - According to your observations, how will the trend of studying abroad change in the next 5-10 years? What opportunities will Vietnamese students have when the world is facing so many changes and challenges?
Dr. Le Bao Thang: - I think that in the next 5-10 years, the market will be more selective. More selective does not mean more difficult, but will mean more quality from international students, and more professionalism and meticulousness from foreign schools, from the policies and environments of the countries. The world has many challenges and changes, but education is eternal. The need for education is not only from Vietnam to the world but also from the world to Vietnam. It is a fusion, learning and blending. Therefore, Vietnamese students will always have many opportunities to study abroad.
In particular, Vietnam's policies are increasingly flexible, open, connected and becoming one of the important focal points of the world. That has contributed significantly to helping Vietnamese students reach out to the world more easily.
Reporter : - Thank you for the conversation, Dr. Le Bao Thang.
Dr. Le Bao Thang, a PhD in Education, graduated with a PhD in Law in the United States - is the founder of OSI Vietnam Company - specializing in the field of study abroad consulting with 25 years of experience. For over 10 years, OSI Vietnam has been a companion of Thanh Nien Newspaper's Exam Consulting Program and has awarded hundreds of scholarships to poor but excellent students across the country.
The Scholarship Program for Poor Students, founded by him in 2006 and officially named the Pioneer Scholarship in 2020, has created opportunities for hundreds of Vietnamese students to study at prestigious schools in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Europe, etc. In particular, in 2025, the Pioneer Scholarship awarded 4 100% tuition scholarships to Vietnamese students to study in the US.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/tien-si-le-bao-thang-giao-duc-la-cach-ben-vung-nhat-de-thay-doi-so-phan-con-nguoi-post889488.html
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