Study planned on RP exhibition in Vietnam

In a bid to promote English language programs offered by Philippine schools in Vietnam, Philippine officials there are preparing an exhibition on Philippine educational services.

An article on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) website (www.dfa.gov.ph) said the programs are targeted mainly for Vietnamese high school and college students, and for business people.

Scheduled in Ho Chi Minh City in the fourth quarter of 2009, the exhibit is being organized in coordination with the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC-Vietnam).

The DFA said the “study in the Philippines" promotion exhibit is part of the embassy’s continuing efforts in promoting bilateral trade in educational services.

Under the promotion initiative, the Embassy coordinates with Vietnamese universities on the enrolment of Vietnamese students in Philippine schools.

It also assists Philippine colleges and universities gain recognition in Vietnam and establish links with Vietnamese educational institutions.

“To date, more Vietnamese enroll in intensive English language programs to improve their English proficiency. English courses are requisites for their acceptance into bachelor’s degree programs and masters degrees in various fields of study. Many mid-level professionals also take up masters degrees at the Asian Institute of Management, as well as PhD programs in Philippine universities," the DFA said.

Also, it said a number of colleges and universities in the Philippines are hosts to this growing number of Vietnamese students.

In February, the embassy invited several universities to participate in the 7th International Education and Career Expo (IECE 2009) held in HCMC.

IECE attracts prestigious educational institutions from countries such as Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Vietnam.

Among the exhibitors of the Philippine pavilion spearheaded or funded by the Department of Tourism (DOT) in coordination with the Embassy, the Honorary Consulate General in HCMC, and the PTIC were Miriam College, Quezon City; Enderun Colleges, Makati City; Angeles University Foundation, Pampanga; and St. Paul’s University, Tuguegarao.

Meanwhile, a nine-member delegation from Regions 4A and 4B of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) After the IECE, the DOT and PTIC, with support from BETP-DTI, arranged for a Familiarization Tour of Philippine Schools in April 2009 for a group of officials from the Vietnamese Government, Vietnamese universities, and educational institutions.

The tour included visits to Philippine schools that participated in the IECE, as well as visits to tourism sites in Metro Manila and nearby areas. - GMANews.TV