LookAtVietnam – Chairman of the Viet Nam National Union of Students Nguyen Dac Vinh spoke with Viet Nam News about the union’s role and its plans for the next five years.

Students nowadays are very active, confident, integrated and keen on new and modern things.

These two movements mutually support each other and will help the youth raise their abilities in self-education and self-training in order to gradually repulse the social evils and degeneracy on morality and life style.

In addition, in terms of the union’s functions, we have a new function which is ‘reflective action’.

What does this new function entail?

The union will open a representative office for Vietnamese students and receive the State and Government’s policies related to students, while also conveying students’ proposals, petitions and feedback to the State and Government.

The Viet Nam National Union of Students will develop this function effectively by enhancing and assembling practical information from domestic student unions in order to be able to grasp students’ views and expectations, and contribute timely and appropriate opinions and petitions to State and Government policymakers.

How do you evaluate the current generation of students?

Students nowadays are very active, confident, integrated and keen on new and modern things. However, some of them find difficulties in developing good traits due to their young age and a shortage of life experiences. Therefore, students in particular and youth in general are required to improve their determination in the accession into a new culture and lifestyle.

At present, limitations on scientific research are major issues for some students. What supports can the union provide for students in this area as well as in employment for students in general?

According to a report from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, students are not dealing with unemployment as effectively as they could, sometimes they could do better in meeting employment specifications. In order to thoroughly deal with this matter, the Viet Nam National Union of Students needs to co-ordinate with MoLISA and the Ministry of Education and Training to support and assist students during recruitment consultancy and career orientation. In addition, the union will also enhance co-operation with the General Statistics Office and the National Centre for Socio-Economic Information and Forecast to provide students with more detailed information about job demands and opportunities.

Regarding scientific research, the union in general and domestic unions of students in particular play an important part in helping students with getting information on research opportunities and providing them with some of the necessary skills such as team work skills and scientific reporting skills.

In the time of international integration, would you advise Vietnamese students to spend more time on learning foreign languages?

Above all, students need to carefully understand their own nation’s history, culture and traditions; hence we can be proud to be Vietnamese.

Moreover, students also need to enrich their general knowledge and avoid being behind the times.

In addition, learning and improving foreign language skills are especially important as communication is very important.

The brain-drain of leading Vietnamese students who have studied overseas is serious at present. What does the union plan to do in this area?

We will co-operate with Viet Nam’s embassies abroad to create an efficient information system for Vietnamese students studying overseas. Our prior task is building an official website with updated and detailed information about developments in domestic politics, the economy, society and culture, so that overseas students can get information about domestic job demands as well as policies of the State and Government.

Moreover, the union has already suggested the State and Government provide more incentives and appropriate policies for students who study overseas to work for the State’s agencies or enterprises.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News