Professor Gow was invited to attend as the keynote speaker at the 'Vietnam-UK Education Conference on Employable Graduates', held in Ho Chi Minh City on 17th October. The conference was organised by the British Council in conjunction with the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training (MOET).
Professor Gow spoke on the subject of the role of higher and further education in the development of human capital in relation to developing Vietnam's competitive potential.
Professor Gow also chaired a session on 'Employability of Graduates' and Professor Cliff Allan, Deputy Vice Chancellor of our partner university Sheffield Hallam University was the key speaker. Professor Allan outlined an innovative approach to offering assistance for international students in terms of internships and employment training opportunities both locally and regionally.
During the visit to Vietnam, Professor Gow and Dr Terry Jeves from the JV partner NCUK, presented a report to the Vietnamese Minister of Education, Professor Dr Pham Vu Luan and his advisers from MOET, on plans to establish a Vietnam-UK University in Danang. The report is the outcome of a major feasibility study written by Professor Gow and Dr Jeves.
The Vietnamese authorities were impressed with what they learned about SBC and propose to use the college as a 'model' for their own strategies aimed at developing 'international standard' universities within Vietnam. As a result they are making arrangements for senior delegates from MOET and Danang University to visit SBC and USST in the near future.
After the conference, Professor Gow and Dr Jeves were invited to attend a dinner organised by the British Council in Vietnam, in honour of the Minster of Education.
