International students’ recruitment – destination Vietnam
Why Vietnam as a destination for students recruitment? Many may ask the question and there are several answers. However most important is how students from Vietnam were desribed by our partners from Finland. Students from Vietnam are ambitious, well-prepared urban students who prioritise reputable programmes and clear career outcomes. They are family-supported, research-driven, and adaptable but seeking guidance on language, culture, and finances. Motivated students are exactly the students we at Kauno kolegija are looking for so Povilas Beseckas, Head of the International Relations Unit, and Gabrielė Milašiūtė, International Admission Specialist, visited Vietnam last week with the aim of fostering international cooperation and promoting study opportunities at Kauno kolegija Higher Education Institution.
The visit took place in two Vietnamese cities – Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. In Hanoi, the representatives participated in school visits and the Begin EduFair higher education fair, where they presented study opportunities at Kauno kolegija and encouraged Vietnamese students to explore practice-based learning options.
The second part of the visit continued in Ho Chi Minh City, where three private schools were visited, and Kauno kolegija was introduced to potential students and their parents at a study fair.
‘Some potential Vietnamese students showed great interest in studying in Lithuania, actively engaging in conversations about study programmes, scholarships, and life in our country. There were students and parents who prepared in advance for meeting – studied maps and read the information about Lithuanias‘ climate, culture and political situation,’ says P. Beseckas.
Meetings with potential students, their parents, and school counsellors allow us to conclude that most of Kauno kolegija’s study programmes are attractive, and Vietnamese students see Lithuania as an innovative and welcoming destination for their studies.
Reflecting on the visit, P. Beseckas emphasised Kauno kolegija’s long-term strategic approach to internationalisation.
‘International partnerships are not short-term initiatives for us but a consistent part of our broader strategy to strengthen international engagement. Working continuously in the selected countries allow us to build a name for Lithuanian higher education, to engage with local education councellors and authorities,’ he notes.
It leads to recognition and personal contacts that brings the feedback from participants: ‘We would like to thank you for your time to spend with me and my two sons at the Edu Fair on last Sunday in HCMC, it actually give us an impression of the tranquility and hospitality of the very small Lithuania among Europe. It is such an informative meeting and my little son would like to have a chance to study on Tourism and Hotel Management someday. He still be at his high school currently and excited to have chance to learn about professional hospitality industry at your institute in near future,’ wrote the participant of the fair Quy Tran.
