Institutional Transformation for Internationalization: The Making of National Language Program in Higher Education in Contemporary Vietnam

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter looks at the institutional transformation of higher education institutions (HEIs) through the case study of the program training Vietnamese language for international students in contemporary Vietnam. The investigation focuses on a HEI in the South of Vietnam, the birth and development of its Vietnamese Studies program, in which the role of Vietnamese language education has been key to the department’s success. The study is set in the context of post- Doi Moi opening, with the surge of market-based economic, social mobility and globalization, evident in the increase of international student mobility to Vietnam. The chapter unpacks the practices of HEI who put effort in changing for good, including curriculum development, textbook writing, research collaboration, leadership innovation, and so on. Framing and linking these practices with the larger economic and social movements, the chapter highlights the creative and active agency of Vietnamese HEIs and their teachers in embracing the change and accommodating the demand of language education from those who come to Vietnam for work, travel, or education. Yet, it also points out the challenges of change and the stress on implementing changes. The chapter reveals how institutions can position themselves for opportunities and success through institutional transformation. It argues that HEIs in Vietnam can be proactive agents in conducting transformation for internationalization with the use of its national language programs. Despite the dual nature of these practices, it opens up the opportunities for a much more globally connected education system, where an emerging country like Vietnam can amplify its voice.