Small beginnings, big dreams
Ngyyen Hong Hai Dong
Current student and student learning advisor
Tran Le Kim
Alumni student and children of Vietnam charity fund employee
Lan Minh Tuan
Current student and president of the frisbee club
Be inspired by RMIT Vietnam students talking about their aspirations for the future
It began with just 31 students in a small converted building in Ho Chi Minh City in 2001, but thanks to one special donor, now RMIT Vietnam provides education to thousands of students who will help Vietnam develop as a nation for generations to come.
Talk to any student at RMIT Vietnam and you’ll hear inspiring words and big plans for the future.
“There aren’t many Vietnamese researchers. I really want to attempt to fill in that gap and show the world that Vietnamese people can be very good researchers”, says Dang Nguyen, who is studying a Bachelor of Professional Communication and also works as a student learning advisor at the campus.
The sentiment is echoed across RMIT Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City campus. RMIT Vietnam was established by former RMIT Vice-Chancellor, Professor David Beanland and many of his colleagues. RMIT, with its emphasis on technology, design and work-ready graduates, was the perfect fit for a rapidly developing nation like Vietnam.
A significant gift from Atlantic Philanthropies, led by American philanthropist Chuck Feeney, allowed RMIT to build a world-class campus in Ho Chi Minh City, which now has over 5,000 students.
“Without the contribution from Atlantic Philanthropies, RMIT Vietnam may not have come to pass,” says Professor Merilyn Liddell, President of RMIT Vietnam and Pro Vice-Chancellor of RMIT.
Growth in Hanoi
The Vietnam campus also includes premises in the national capital, Hanoi, with more than 1,000 students. There are plans to grow this in coming years, and move into bigger purpose-built premises – subject to funding.
“In Hanoi we want to extend undergraduate teaching and become active in research, with a strong focus on environmental sustainability – things that are of critical importance to Vietnam, and especially pertinent to some of the big challenges of Hanoi itself,” says Professor Liddell. “But to do that, we need some sort of substantial seed funding to boost the small provision we currently have.”
University graduates are in high demand in Vietnam, and will play a key role in sustainable nation-building over the next few decades. Ten years since RMIT Vietnam was established, nearly 4,000 students have graduated from RMIT Vietnam and are contributing to the workforce, the community, with big dreams for the future of Vietnam and the fast-growing region in which it is located.
For more information about giving to Vietnam, please Contact Us.