Sponsored content: created in partnership with Ho Chi Minh City Open University
The internationalisation of higher education brings a diversity of perspectives to the classroom, enriching the academic experience for all students. However, international students face complex challenges, ranging from financial pressures to navigating life in a new country. Universities have a responsibility to ensure students are set up for success, personally and professionally.
A pioneering university contributing to the educational environment in Vietnam since 1990, Ho Chi Minh City Open University (HCMCOU) empowers practice-oriented knowledge sharing and community engagement through its distance learning programmes.
The university has a strong commitment to academic quality and implements quality assurance activities to make sure its programmes meet international and national quality standards. It offers 36 programmes that are accredited by various Vietnamese and international accreditation organisations.
HCMCOU facilitates the successful integration of international students into its campus through a comprehensive approach that encompasses many aspects of student life. The university has a global academic community and welcomes students from countries such as Laos, Cambodia, Ghana, Myanmar, Bangladesh and the Philippines. The university offers administrative support to international students throughout their journey, including guidance on visa procedures and entry formalities, to ensure a smooth application process. The university has a network of reliable housing options to help students secure accommodation before arriving in Vietnam.
To reduce the financial pressures on international students, HCMCOU offers several scholarships covering up to 100 per cent of tuition fees, along with living expenses support. Other scholarships offered include the Open Talent Scholarship for students enrolled in master’s degrees and the Fellowship Scholarship for learners at the postgraduate and doctoral levels.
HCMCOU places great emphasis on welcoming programmes to ensure international students can ease into their lives in a new country. The university assigns designated staff members and its student support club, known as OU Help to be Helped Club, to welcome students at the airport and help them move into their accommodation.
Orientation programmes provide essential information about the academic environment, culture and student life. Students can participate in extracurricular activities such as Lunar New Year celebrations, volunteer campaigns, tours of Ho Chi Minh City, and immersive experiences in Vietnamese culture. Students can enrol in Vietnamese language courses tailored for international learners to help them interact with peers and adjust to life in Vietnam.
HCMCOU promotes cultural exchange between international students and the broader community through events where international students can showcase their cultures and learn about Vietnamese traditions. On-campus associations and clubs create opportunities for students to socialise and widen their networks. In addition to fostering cultural diversity and belonging among international students, these activities provide opportunities for all students to learn from one another.
The university promotes academic exchange and research collaboration by creating opportunities for students to participate in joint research projects and interdisciplinary studies. The university has signed international cooperation agreements to facilitate learner, faculty and staff exchanges. It organises international conferences to provide students and faculty with opportunities to learn from experts in their fields.
Notably, HCMCOU has participated in senior leadership delegations of Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training on visits and working sessions with international partners in Hungary, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Romania, the UK and the US.
HCMCOU seeks to enhance the quality of education in Vietnam and across the world. It offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in collaboration with international universities such as the University of Rouen Normandy in France, Fresenius University of Applied Sciences in Germany, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium and several universities in Australia, including Flinders University, Bond University, Edith Cowan University and the University of Southern Queensland.
The university has successfully implemented international cooperation projects, including the RecoASIA project, which enhances mobility within the Asian higher education sector, and Erasmus+ initiatives such as the Knowledge Networks of Transdisciplinary Studies and Digitalising Vietnamese Education. The university has developed a new collaborative project with the Korea National Open University to strengthen digital capacity in e-learning as part of Unesco’s University Twinning and Networking Programme.
Comments