Entrepreneurial Finance: Insights from English Language Training Market in Vietnam

Entrepreneurship plays an indispensable role in the economic development and poverty reduction of emerging economies like Vietnam. The rapid development of technologies during the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) has a significant impact on business in every field, especially in the innovation-focused area of entrepreneurship. However, the topic of entrepreneurial activities with technology applications in Vietnam is under-researched. In addition, the body of literature regarding entrepreneurial finance tends to focus on advanced economies, while mostly neglecting the contextual differences in developing nations. Therefore, this research contributes to these topics by investigating the main characteristics of a high potential market for entrepreneurs in Vietnam, which is the English language training market (ELTM). It also aims at indicating the impacts of technology on the entrepreneurial firms within this market, with an emphasis on financing sources. To answer the research questions, this study employs a qualitative analysis and conducts 12 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs and researchers in the field. The key findings in our study highlight the main contributing factors to the growth of the market, both universally and context-specific for a developing nation like Vietnam. It also lists the leaders in each market segment and the industry’s potential profit margin. The results also show that most entrepreneurs in the ELTM utilized private sources of finance rather than external ones, such as bank loans. It again confirms the idea from previous works that even with the rapid development of the economic and technological landscape, entrepreneurial activities in general barely benefit from additional sources of funding. However, it also points out the distinct characteristics of the ELTM that may influence these financing issues; for example, English training services usually collect revenues from customers before delivering their classes. This is of advantage for entrepreneurs in this area and helps significantly reduce the financial barriers. These findings, which are among the first attempts to contribute to a better understanding of entrepreneurial opportunities in the Industry 4.0 in Vietnam, provide valuable insights for policymakers and entrepreneurs, as well as investors

Pedagogy undergraduates’ perception on twenty-first century skills

Teachers head up their students to the bright future, their role is indispensable, especially in the 21st century, which expects them to be energetic and flexible to apply knowledge to the daily life and carrier task. Examining the perception on 21st century skills teaching of pedagogy teacher-to-be undergraduates - plays a vital role in identifying deficits in teachers’ professional development; as well as organizing training programs to enhance their knowledge and skills. To the best of our knowledge, no study to date has examined pedagogy undergraduates’ perception in Vietnam. This study aimed at examining Vietnamese undergraduates' perception on teaching the 21st century skills. Our crosssectional study used the 21st Century Skills Teaching Scale. Descriptive analysis and ANOVA were performed in this research. The results showed that: (1) Vietnamese pedagogy students had a high level of perception on teaching the 21st century skills; (2) there was no gender difference in their perception; and (3) there was no significant difference in their perception regard to their school years and (4) there was significant difference between those having joined soft skill courses at their university and those having not joined anyone

Reforming the Vietnamese Legal Education system: possibilities and perspective

This paper discusses the demand and various possibilities for the reform of Vietnamese legal education. A particular emphasis will be placed on clinical legal education (CLE) as a potential option for this reform

University Expectations and Preparations at the Upper-Secondary School Level: A Case Study at the Experimental High School of Hanoi and Hanoi University

The Vietnamese education system has shifted drastically in recent history. From the influence of the French colonial period, to Ho Chi Minh’s literacy campaigns, to recent changes in the higher education system, Vietnam’s development has largely impacted students and educators. Even as the education system begins to modernize, many of the original Confucian values still dominate the field. With this dynamic in mind, this project aims to discover students’ expectations and preparations for university. By conducting a case study at the Experimental High School of Hanoi, I was able to hold class discussions about university plans with nearly 400 students and conduct interviews with eight students and one teacher. This enabled me to learn the type of work the students and the school value when researching, preparing, studying, and applying to university, but also the student’s thoughts, feelings, and expectations for university. Additionally, two focus groups with current university students allowed me to obtain both a retrospective and prospective point of view on the university process. From these data, I was able to examine how factors such as parental influence, stress over choosing a future job, and immense focus on the university entrance examination drive students’ university process. Students, especially students who plan on studying abroad, must put ample time and effort into attending university. Overall, they aim to gain strong academic growth in areas about which they are passionate, applicable job skills that will make them strong candidates after graduation, and also important life skills

Internationalisation of the business curriculum in Australian and Vietnamese universities

This study found that internationalisation of higher education curriculum takes different forms in different national contexts. Drawing on practice architectures theory and the conceptualisation of curriculum as knowing-acting-being, the study also revealed how the structural conditions and institutional arrangements for curriculum internationalisation nurture or constrain academics’ practices and students’ becoming

Perspectives from graduate students on effective teaching methods: A case study from a Vietnamese Transnational University

Vietnam is emerging as an accelerated economic and political society with an increased global presence; thus, increased attention has been given to producing qualified college graduates who can contribute to the growing global economy. Yet challenges exist due to lack of educational infrastructure and ineffective teaching practices. As a result, the Vietnamese government embraces international collaborations in higher education as a way to address educational needs; however, although research exists on policy implications and government priorities, very little is known about how students perceive the teaching methods provided at these collaborative transnational universities. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to examine graduate students’ perceived effectiveness of teaching methods at Vietnamese-German University (VGU), a predominantly technology and engineering university that is an international collaboration between Vietnam and Germany. We seek to answer the research question of, ‘how is the use of student-centered practices effective in an international learning environment?’ Findings from graduate students indicate that collaborative learning, specifically through group work and modified flipped classrooms, are effective ways to maximize student learning. Implications for practice and future research are discussed as ways to emphasize the benefits of student-centered teaching and learning at transnational collaborative universities

Conceptual changes in Higher Education Teaching and Learning: Insights from a compulsory teacher training program for higher education teachers in Vietnam

Compulsory pedagogical training programs for higher education teachers have become a common practice in many countries. The pedagogical training program for higher education teachers in Vietnam has been made compulsory since 2007 (Decision 61/2007/QĐ-BGDĐT), however, no published studies have reported participants’ changes in their practices or conceptions on teaching and learning in higher education. Examining changes on participants’ conceptions or practices after participating in this training program is essential for the restructure of the program. This study was conducted to fill this gap by investigating the program participants’ conceptual changes in higher education teaching and learning after completing the compulsory training program. Constructivist grounded theory was used to identify themes, categories and dimensions related to participants’ conceptions of teaching and learning in higher education. Fifteen program participants of one program cohort at one university in the Mekong Delta River region (Vietnam) were interviewed using a semi-structured interview prior to commencement of the program and immediately after completion. Five program presenters were also interviewed, and relevant documents were analysed. The post-program phase saw greater understanding of the role of higher education in the development of social responsibility and the development of an individual’s capability. The post-program also saw conceptions of the roles and standards of higher education teachers to be more demanding, especially accepting responsibility for the development of curriculum competence. Conceptions of teaching were found to be significantly changed to a greater student-centred orientation, with an outcome-based curriculum orientation. The conceptualisation of teaching approaches after the program was found to be more considerate of students’ learning diversity and contexts. This grounded theory of conceptual changes in teaching and learning provides evidence to support the initiative to make teacher’s professional development programs compulsory in higher education. The study provides an initial theory of Vietnamese teachers’ conceptions on not only approaches to teaching and learning, but also the development of an appreciation of the role of higher education, and teachers’ roles in those aspects

Students’ Attitudes Towards Education in Biology-Related Disciplines and the Need for Internationalization : A Survey at a Vietnamese University

This survey examined the attitudes of 538 undergraduate students enrolled at a Vietnamese university towards biology-related disciplines. Employing a structured questionnaire, the study explored several aspects, including students' interests in various biology-related fields, their motivations for pursuing these disciplines, their opinions on teaching methods, their aspirations for internationalization and study abroad experiences, the essential skills they believed were crucial for success, and the areas in teaching that required improvement. The survey results indicated that students acknowledged the significance of fields such as medicine and veterinary sciences, with their motivations largely influenced by job prospects and societal needs. Moreover, the results identified specific areas in teaching that students wanted to have improvement, such as laboratory work, practical skills development, fieldwork experiences, and exchange programs, and their attitude towards internationalization and study abroad opportunities, in relations to the factors such as age, gender, grade, and major. The insights gained from this survey can contribute to the enhancement of educational strategies and the creation of an engaging learning environment for students majoring in biology-related disciplines

High school teachers’ conception on global skills and universal values in Vietnam and in West Bengal, India

This study is a piece of research conducted in a sample of secondary schools in West Bengal and in Vietnam. The aim was to find out to what extent the teachers in the survey were aware of the students’ new needs in this age of globalization. Discourses and debates about global citizenship education have informed the approach taken in the thesis. In addition, recent fora and publications on Global Skills have influenced the theoretical positioning outlined in the thesis. The Capability Approach theory as promoted by Sen (2010) and Nussbaum (2011) is considered as a valuable approach because it goes beyond the acquisition of cognitive skills by addressing a number of ethical values that are part of a tentative definition of Global Citizenship. Therefore, the focus of the research was on the teachers’ degree of awareness of the issues involved in 21st century education particularly Global Skills and sensitization to ethical values. This goes in line with the recommendations made by UNESCO (2014) and such institutions as: the World-Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The results confirm the anticipated view that the teachers’ working conditions are often serious obstacles to focusing on the broader horizon. They are often cut off from the world of educational research which would inspire them and give them the possibility of setting themselves more precise goals for attainment in solidarity with other professionals. The serious issues the world is facing nowadays call for new strategies and new skills which surprisingly include some moral features and ethical values, even when one is essentially looking for economic efficiency. This is a real challenge. The surprising finding of the researcher is that the teachers involved were not aware of critical thinking as being the vital skill for any hope of going forward. This may be linked to an atavistic respect for transmitted knowledge and moral tradition where ‘law and order’ and peace at the price of individual sacrifice are highly regarded principles in both West Bengal and Vietnam. The rigidity of certain political or administrative structures seems to be another factor hampering forward progress. The private school in both countries had the privilege of more freedom in decision making, better working environment and inspiring leadership, which conditions evidently favoured a more holistic education. The interest of the research is that it proposes a new approach and new tools for analysis and evaluation of the quality of secondary-school education. The assessment emphasis is shifted from exam results to human development. It is the researcher’s hope that this study will be of some use to people who share his concern for a better future for young people especially in developing countries