Speakers at the American Abroad Conference 2018 explain how universities in Vietnam could attract more international students. (Source: VNA) HCM City (VNA) -More universities in Vietnam should open programmes to foreign students asdemand for study-abroad courses has increased, according to education experts.
At the American Abroad Conference2018 held in Ho Chi Minh City, Edwina Rowell, adjunct professor ofCampbellsville University in the US, said that 325,229 US students studiedabroad for academic credit in the 2016-17 academic year, representing 11.1 percentof all US college and university students, citing data from an Open Doors 2017study.
Of these, 11 percent studied inAsia, including in Vietnam.
Open Doors 2017 is acomprehensive information resource on international students and scholarsstudying or teaching at higher education institutions in the United States,and for US students studying abroad for academic credit at their homeinstitutions.
Vietnam is becoming a morepopular destination for American students, according to Open Doors. Inthe 2016-2017 academic year, Vietnam welcomed 1,012 students from the US.
Megan Ames, internationaloutreach and recruitment specialist at Institute of International Education,said the number had increased from 922 in the 2014-2015 academic year.
Universities should change theirperceptions of studying abroad, and realise that every student expects studyabroad to be an “essential part of a university education”, she said.
Many countries have incentivesfor US students. For instance, New Zealand provides merit-based and travelawards for US students.
According to the Kaya ResponsibleTravel and World Internships, Vietnam has great potential and interest from theUS market.
Vietnam is a low-costoption, has good English-language levels in many organisations, and isperceived as an important business region and is safe and welcoming.
Rowell of CampbellsvilleUniversity said that students study abroad to see the world, enjoy differenteducation styles and new cultures, hone language skills, find careeropportunities, and make lifelong friends.
US Consul General Mary Tarnowkasaid: “Through study abroad programmes, the people of Vietnam and the US candevelop stronger and closer ties.”
Dr Hoang Gia Thu, dean of FinanceManagement and Tourism at Hanoi University, has organised a number of studytour programmes in Vietnam for universities from the US, the UK, Singapore andGermany.
He suggested that universitiestarget specific groups of students to attract more people from the US.
They should also focus onpractical learning experiences and outcomes, and link the experience withfuture careers, Thu said.
A community of alumni to shareand discuss experiences should also be created, he added.
Dr Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuong,country director of Arizona State University’s representative office in Vietnam,said that university leaders should take advantage of their strong pointsto attract international students.
Nguyen Mo, director of StudentExchange Vietnam, said that universities in Vietnam should attend internationaleducation fairs.
They should also identify themajors they want to promote, such as those related to culture, entrepreneurshipand agriculture, and include short courses as well, she added.
However, barriers at Vietnameseuniversities continue to exist, including limited faculty interest, nopromotion criteria, and lack of Government support.
In addition, there is no websiteabout study in Vietnam for foreign students, Mo said.
The American Abroad Conference2018 was held by the US Consulate in HCM City in co-operation with StudentExchange Vietnam.-VNA
VNA