Remote learning lessens the stress
by Ha Nguyen
HA NOI — Vietnamese students are beginning to explore the benefits of enrolling on remote learning courses provided by foreign universities which are offering internationally recognised qualifications.
Nguyen Thi Huyen from the central province of Nghe An said many parents in her province were happy that opportunities existed for their children to enrol with foreign educational institutions while remaining in Viet Nam.
Huyen said her daughter Vo Thi Hoai Phuong who had failed to pass entrance exams to a State-funded university, was granted an internationally-recognised certificate by the UK's Sunderland University on the completion of her four-year undergraduate degree at the National Economics University (NEU) in Ha Noi last week.
Unlike Phuong, her classmate Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, who won the highest mark at entrance exams to enrol at the Hue University in 2005, decided to join a new international bachelor's degree programme, a unique collaboration between the NEU, Tyndale Education Group, Edexcel International and the University of Sunderland to bring British education standards to Viet Nam.
"I joined the course because it provided the opportunity for students to access a modern and high-quality education. I wanted to study economics and business management in English. I've always felt I made the right decision," Trang said.
"Apart from key knowledge the course provided, I also benefited from soft skills such as being able to write articles, tutor, and engage in marketing and develop consultancy skills. These will allow me to become an organiser, a manager and a company leader," she said.
Trang's friends said they were interested in the programme because of the strict quality control provided by Edexcel International UK and it's reasonable cost. They said students could use the recognised BTEC diploma after completing their third year, which allowed the students to find work, earn money and gain work experience.
"We have had opportunities to participate in extra-curricular activities that provide business insight and valuable experience so that we can have a real understanding of the challenges we would face and the offers we would get in the future," they added.
"But the most important thing we learned was how to respect success and overcome any failures that we meet." they said.
Professor Dr Tran Van Nhung, former deputy minister of Education and Training now general secretary of the State Council for Professorial Accreditation, said students now have many opportunities to opt for an internationally recognised educational institution.
"This kind of undergraduate study, the first of its kind in Viet Nam, not only helps the students achieve world-standard knowledge, equivalent to their peers in the US and the UK, but also allows them to save money."
"But the most important thing for parents is that this kind of study helps take the pressure off them and their children," he said.
Nhung told Viet Nam News that international-recognition programme helps students modify their learning to fall in line with their international counterparts, yet also provides them with the opportunity to take part-time jobs to gain experience before graduating.
"This way will be very good for them, and also very good for the country as the younger generation begins running the country," he said. — VNS