INTRODUCTION

Developing high quality human resources is a challenge for the world integration of developing countries, including Vietnam. Our economy has been changing drastically in many areas. There is a fact that, in addition to mandatory requirements such as good professional knowledge, good moral qualities, the current job requirement requires future engineers to have soft skills such as adaptability, teamwork, problem solving, etc. Therefore, the trend of accessing to the world-class advanced education is the key to success of development.

In recent time, the number of Vietnamese students studying abroad has increased significantly, especially in the US and Japan. According to the data from the Institute of International Education (IIE), USA, in the academic year 2013-2014, the number of Vietnamese students studying and doing research in America is 16,579, ranked 8th in the total number of foreign students in the US, and ranked 1st in the total number of foreign students from Southeast Asia. Since 2000, the number of foreign students studying in the United States has increased by 72.1%. During this time, the proportion of Vietnamese students in the US increased 5 times. On the other hand, according to the statistics by the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) in 2014, the number of Vietnamese students ranked second in the number of overseas students in Japan, an increase of 91.6% over the same period of the previous year, reaching 26,439 people.

It can be seen that international education has an important role in building relationships among people and the community. By this way, we can solve global or regional challenges together. In the context of the sovereignty of the sea island of our country is threatened, the soaring spirit (god Giong’s spirit) in the fields of science, technology, economics and defense is essential.

Thuyloi University (TLU) has been selected and funded by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) for implementing undergraduate advanced programs since 2008. The School of International Education has run two advanced undergraduate programs, one in Water Resources Engineering in cooperation with Colorado State University, USA since 2008, and the other in Civil Engineering in cooperation with the University of Arkansas, USA since 2010. The advanced programs have provided lecturers and students with the opportunities to access to the best quality American education. Many lecturers from the University of Colorado, the University of Arkansas and the prestigious universities in the area have come to Thuyloi University to give lectures since 2008. Every year, the university sends excellent teachers to observe lessons at two partner universities in the US in spring and fall semesters.

One of the most frequent and important activities of the advanced program is the exchange of students between the Thuyloi University and international universities. In the past decade, Thuyloi University has signed numerous agreements for student exchange with other universities around the world, particularly the University of Arkansas, USA; Tohoku University, Japan; and the exchange of engineering students with Southeast Asian countries (AIMS).

In the 2014-2015 academic year, the university sent seven groups with the total of 14 students to study abroad in exchange programs, including 13 AIMS students (one semester) at the Institute of Technology Bandung, Indonesia (ITB), University of Technology Malaysia (UTM), Thornburi University of Technology, Thailand (KMUTT), University of Tsukuba, Japan (UT) and 1 student attending Tohoku University, Japan (2 semesters). Many foreign students who came to study at Thuyloi University under the AIMS program including those from ITB (Indonesia), KMUTT (Thailand). In addition, there are Laotian students who are studying advanced programs at the School of International Education. Student exchange programs are really a bridge for Thuyloi students and international students to get acquainted with the international learning environment in order to improve their professional level, foreign languages, cultural exchange and living independence.

To introduce study programs to advanced students and their parents, under the consent of the Rector Board of Thuyloi University, School of International Education has published the handbook “Opportunities to study abroad for students in advanced programs in Thuyloi University”. The Editors do hope that this is a useful resource for students and their parents when choosing the right student exchange program.

Due to the limited time, the Editorial Board would like to receive comments and feedbacks from readers for further completion of this handbook in the next editions.

Hanoi, May 15, 2015

On behalf of the editorial board

Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Hong Nam

Deputy Director, School of International Education,

Thuyloi University