The World of Marketing – As a public policy expert in Massachusetts, USA for many years, a bridge for the Fulbright program with Vietnam from the early stages, and currently working with a team of experts to draft the Human Resource Development Project for Vietnam. Returning to the country to invest in many projects, but deep down, all his efforts are dedicated to the career of nurturing people.
Having over ten years of experience in advising Harvard University admissions, in your opinion, what is the biggest mistake that Vietnamese parents make in educating their children?
Eastern culture has its merits, but the education system tends to impose, with family and social pressures leaning towards conformity, stifling talents and creativity early on, creating a significant gap in human potential development.
Parents, more than anyone else, understand their children, so they should strive to create opportunities within their means for them to develop well, have choices, and live true to themselves, which is the core value…
Even those who rise from difficulties and achieve great things have to pay a price; they may become more authoritarian and dogmatic even in their daily lives, imposing the mindset of a difficult period onto others. It requires individuals educated in a stable, profound, and creative environment to create a balanced and developing society.
You just mentioned that a significant portion of children today don’t know what they want?
In American society, even from kindergarten, children are encouraged to be free and creative; drawing a three-legged chicken doesn’t get them scolded by the teacher. If education molds too early, it will stifle creativity and the diversity of the entire society. To write a ninth-grade essay, it’s not about studying model essays but reading a lot of famous literary works. A big question for Vietnamese education is what kind of person do we want to train for the future? Do we want to follow a rigid framework, or a core educational philosophy that promotes talents, creativity, and flexibility in an integrated world?
But some parents are also concerned that the American education system is creating an overly pragmatic society?
American society is indeed very pragmatic; they exploit whatever is effective, but it’s not necessarily a society driven by materialism as some think. They invest heavily in humanities, social sciences, and technology. From a business owner to a well-trained writer, scientist, everything is based on the philosophy of creating the best products, the most wonderful works, and material wealth naturally follows.
Comparing the issues between Vietnam and the US, some young people have a significant misunderstanding. An individual or a society with a solid foundation will go further. On the other hand, if one lacks capability but desires to achieve everything at any cost to make quick money, chasing materialism and fleeting glitz, it will only lead to collapse. A billionaire may work hard but can dress and drive very modestly; when they pass away, a portion is left for their descendants, and the rest is contributed to society. They don’t place too much importance on wealth; far more valuable than wealth is creating products of value for society…
We are in a period of transition and integration, with countless good things to aspire to, but at the same time, a heavy burden to handle. The youth don’t easily grasp all the issues; they may be overwhelmed by history and have to face new challenges. More than anyone, the youth must determine early what they want, how they will live, the meaning and value of life. They should focus on valuable pursuits, start from passion, concentrate on building and exploiting it, becoming the best in some field… then material wealth will follow. If nothing is done thoroughly, don’t think about money.
In your opinion, what is the biggest crisis facing today’s youth? Can the Internet help them bridge that gap?
Without equipping the younger generation with some basics, they may be overwhelmed by the amount of information, not to mention the ability to discern its value. Education has somewhat been fragmented, so when pieced together, it may not be accurate, the style of learning quickly, superficially leads to a lack of a basic foundation. The best approach is to have a preceding generation capable of guiding them towards a knowledge-based society. But currently, even the intellectual community is struggling and in crisis. Hopefully, the younger generation, with their awareness, will help them access the world’s information more efficiently and effectively. Life philosophies and role models are increasingly diverse, multidimensional, and beyond national borders. If education is properly organized, I believe society will naturally adjust.
Is that why a businessman like you has spent more than ten years helping young people in the country gain access to top universities like Harvard, MIT, Chicago, Wellesley…?
Currently, there are over 16,000 Vietnamese studying in the US, but the percentage studying at the top 100 schools is still low, and even lower in the top 20…
To prepare for studying abroad, besides academic and language abilities, an equally important part is psychological preparation. One must know what they want, which direction to develop, clear career goals, and the ability to integrate into a new social environment.
The advantage of top universities, besides good academic conditions and capabilities, is building relationships during the study period that can bring significant value in the future. The help of senior generations and professors is invaluable if properly utilized.
My desire is for information about American universities to be more widely disseminated, for websites or other means to share information among young people interested in prestigious universities, helping to create a more elite and classier Vietnamese student force in the future.
American society is very diverse, but also very class-conscious. Where you study, what job you do are the first two things mentioned in any interaction, whether in work or social communication, to establish class before starting. This pragmatism, through interaction, is the first step to future relationships. Getting into top schools, though it guarantees nothing, is the first step to success.
I want to see the development of Vietnamese students going global through practical and concrete work, starting from correctly assessing the talents and development potential of each individual. For me, not developing an individual’s potential is already a significant waste, let alone an entire generation.
Besides education-related work, you are also a businessman with many major projects in tourism and hotels. What is your business purpose?
The important thing is to create the highest quality and most unique product possible, meeting the needs of high-end tourists. My business philosophy is effective business combined with social goodwill (philanthropist), following the spirit of some American entrepreneurs.
T.Nguyen – K. Yen conducted the interview
Hoang Tuong illustrated the portrait
