VJU as a very unique environment because it is a binational university, there aren’t a lot of universities with such a model in the world

Meet Nguyen Thanh Phuong, a master student in the 6th intake of the Master’s Program in Global Leadership (MGL) at Vietnam Japan University.

Here is an internship experience of Ms. Nguyen Thanh Phuong:

My name is Nguyen Thanh Phuong, and you can call me Phuong. I’m currently a second-year graduate student at VJU, attending Master’s program in Global Leadership (MGL). My research topic is regarding regionalization of higher education, right now, I’m investigating student mobility within the ASEAN region. I have always been fascinated by education, especially higher education and the various forms of it, that’s why I enrolled in VJU. I see this as a very unique environment because it is a binational university, there aren’t a lot of universities with such a model in the world. I get the chance to experience an international education while still staying in my home country.

 Ms. Nguyen Thanh Phuong during an internship at Waseda University, Japan

I joined the Internship program at Waseda University for 2 weeks in February 2023. I want to say that my impression of Waseda is a great one. It’s the trip of a lifetime and I really appreciate the efforts of everyone involved in the process of preparing and conducting our internship. I know it is a lot of paperwork and preparation and planning for not only our professors but also the admin staff. So when I left Japan, I feel that a part of me stayed and a part of Japan stayed in my heart also, because of the connections I have made with the wonderful people here. I am a lucky person because I got to enjoy and experience it so much, thanks to the warm welcome of the Japanese people.

With regard to my research, I have gotten access to many materials from Waseda library that I could not reach in Vietnam. I also got to spend time discussing at length and in person with my supervisor about my research topic, so it is a rewarding time for me to develop my research direction. My master’s thesis has progressed since the internship in Japan, which I hope will help in my defence in June. As for future research, during the trip, I had so many questions left unanswered and many new ideas, so I intend to reorganize them and develop new research topics, especially regarding education, since I have seen different educational models. Education for social inclusion and the resestablishment of lost communities can be very interesting topics for me to explore in the future.

Learn more about the Master’s Program in Global Leadership: Here