International school opens Central Vietnam to the world

By Kim Trang - Jul 03, 2019 | 09:30 AM GMT+7

TheLEADERWith its debut last year, St. Nicholas International School has helped make clear what a truly international school should be.

Private schools in Vietnam are booming and the so-called “international schools” have been in the spotlight on the stage. 

Huge investments have been made to create new schools in major cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Danang, which proclaim to be “international,”. Yet, the Vietnamese society and language have no standard, commonly accepted notion of “international school.”

We have approached some of those schools and asked them for a clear notion. The various definitions they gave could only worsen the confusion of the public. 

Only by accessing the international sources abroad have we learnt that accreditation is what matters.

It is the most important thing in education business.

Vietnamese parents, when choosing an international school for their kids, should be aware that by whom and how a kid is assessed is all that matters for his or her academic records within a course. 

Programs accredited by a globally recognized institution or organization help define a prestigious school. 

Simply put, a graduate of such a school would be globally recognized as full-fledged, ready for tertiary education anywhere in the world.

International school opens Central Vietnam to the world
St. Nicholas International School brings American education to Central Vietnam.

St. Nicholas International School leaders share their vision on this most important aspect. As they are looking for an international academic partner from the United States, Texas Tech University appears at the top of their list being a century-old, world-renowned public science and research university with great academic and public service records.

"Of course having such a partner is a great challenge but it helps us grow up, doesn’t it? The negotiation process was tough. You have to speak the same language and be on the same page with them," said Henry Nguyen, the school’s CEO.

"Texas Tech is a big name and their criteria are all hard to meet. The moment you seem to fail to meet their academic standards or unable to live up to their expectations, the negotiation process would terminate immediately and prematurely," he added.

St. Nicholas International School aims at becoming a world-class boarding school in the future like any other big things in the United States, and we can sense their determination. 

Choosing Danang as their investment venue when this city is becoming cosmopolitan and most worthy of living for expats and internationals certainly seems appropriate and wise.

St. Nicholas International School leaders that reveal they have always been inspired by the best American schools. 

They want to create an atmosphere where students can learn from one another not just academically but also culturally. 

They also want to diversify the curriculum, the student body, the academic and cultural content, as Harvard has always been doing, to make the classes the ultimate environment where kids can embrace the whole world.

The St. Nicholas International School leaders also express their ambition to make itself present in other major cities in a near future.