From a district school boy to an economics lecturer in Europe

After graduating from high school and bachelor's degree in Vietnam, Mr. Vu Van Trung continued his academic journey abroad, achieving many achievements and awards before becoming an economics lecturer at a leading university in the UK.

The PhD journey is not lonely

At the age of 30, Dr. Vu Van Trung, majoring in economics, became an economics lecturer at Loughborough University (UK), conquering the pedagogical goal he set when pursuing a professional academic path.

According to The Guardian 's 2023 rankings of the best universities in the UK, Loughborough University ranked 10th, just behind big names like Oxford University and Cambridge University.

After completing his master's program in Japan, Mr. Vu Van Trung received a full scholarship to continue his doctoral studies in New Zealand.

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Talking to Thanh Nien Newspaper reporters, Mr. Trung said that he studied at Quang Trung High School (Ninh Giang District, Hai Duong Province), then graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Economics (Hanoi National University). Passionate about academics, he continued to pursue a master's program in economics at Ritsumeikan University (Japan), and won a full scholarship for a 3-year doctoral degree at the University of Otago, the first university in New Zealand.

“The application process for a PhD scholarship is very different between countries, as well as between schools within a country. My application specifically requires a research proposal, CV and some other documents. In general, to apply for a scholarship, the most important thing is to have a solid knowledge base, which will usually be tested by the school through an interview. In addition, it is also necessary to clearly demonstrate the motivation and goals of pursuing an academic path,” Trung shared, adding that experience related to the research field would be a plus.

According to Mr. Trung, when deciding to study for a PhD, the supervisor is the decisive factor when choosing a school. Normally, the supervisor will publish the research profile on the school's website, and students should read to see if the supervisor's research direction is suitable for their own research orientation and interests. "This is a bit difficult for those who do not have much experience, so consult with those who have gone before," Mr. Trung noted.

Mr. Vu Van Trung during his study days at Ritsumeikan University, Japan

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Specifically, Dr. Trung stated that thanks to finding a “good teacher” at the University of Otago, he was able to publish 9 scientific articles in prestigious journals ranked ABDC (A/A*) or CABS (3/4). At the same time, in 2021, he was also the best student at the School of Business, University of Otago and won the award for outstanding doctoral thesis here.

For many PhD students, the doctoral journey can be lonely because the main goal is to train people with the ability to think and research independently. However, support and opportunities to communicate regularly with the instructor will help students gain a lot of experience, thereby shaping their own research direction, according to Mr. Trung.

“For 3 years, I went to see my main supervisor almost every day. When I had an idea, I always discussed it with him for advice. He also followed me closely from the data collection process to the completion of the first drafts. When reviewing the papers, he would correct and comment directly in pencil on the paper. He also continued to read and correct my scientific papers after the results of the review were available,” the young man from Hai Duong recalled.

How to become an international lecturer

The decision to pursue an education in New Zealand has provided opportunities that Dr Trung says have helped him advance in the competitive academic environment in the UK, as well as greatly influenced the way he researches, teaches and contributes to the work at Loughborough University. “Spending time on critical thinking and treating it as your own research” is one of the lessons the economics doctor has learned.

Mr. Vu Van Trung when studying at Otago University, New Zealand

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In addition to studying and researching, during his doctoral program, Trung also participated in many pedagogical activities to gain more classroom experience. Specifically, he applied to be a teaching assistant for some subjects on microeconomics, macroeconomics, international economics and statistics at the school.

Sharing more about his journey to conquer the position of university lecturer in the UK, he said that the “decisive factor” is the candidate’s research ability. According to Dr. Trung, the way to convince the recruitment board of research ability is relatively different between universities. For example, some leading economics departments in the UK prioritize candidates who have graduated from top universities in North America or Europe.

“Research ability can be demonstrated through published scientific articles or the quality of a doctoral thesis. In addition, there are a number of other important factors that can supplement the application, such as teaching experience or the ability to apply for funding for research activities,” said Mr. Trung.

Mr. Vu Van Trung spent a lot of time participating in activities to improve his pedagogical skills while studying for his doctorate.

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After becoming a lecturer in the UK, Dr. Trung said he continued to spend time researching topics that interested him. “The opportunity to teach local and international students from many countries also enriched my experience,” Trung shared.

“Currently, in addition to my research work, I am teaching international economics at the Department of Economics at Loughborough University Business School. If given the opportunity, I would be happy to collaborate in research and teaching in Vietnam,” Trung added.

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