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4/10/2012
NEVER A DULL MOMENT
IN DANANG
Christine Bundesen AM
Director, Institute of Continuing & TESOL Education
The University of Queensland (ICTE-UQ)
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Danang, Central Vietnam
• One of major port cities in Vietnam
• Commercial and educational hub of
Central Vietnam
• Fourth biggest centre of economy in
Vietnam (after Ho Chi Minh city, Ha Noi
and Hai Phong)
• Higher urbanization ratio than any of
Vietnam's other provinces or centrally
governed cities
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4/10/2012
A cheese sandwich
moment: 1999
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2000
The University of Queensland (UQ) in Brisbane
Australia, and the University of Danang (UD) in DanangVietnam, commenced a relationship of cooperation
linked to an Atlantic Philanthropies (AP)funded 5-year
Coursework Masters Scholarship Program and the UD
Learning Resource Centre development.
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2001
UQ & UD cooperation expanded to include a plan to
establish a joint initiative English Language Institute, the
UD-UQ ELI project, with construction and initial start-up
funding from AP on the city campus of UD in Danang.
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2001-2004
Preparations for the UD-UQ ELI were undertaken:
application submissions for funding to AP; project and
premises design and management; formalisation of the legal
UD-UQ project relationship; and gaining of the required
multiple Vietnamese government approvals.
2004
The UD-UQ ELI project was approved by the Vietnamese
government MPI under a Business Cooperation Contract
(BCC) - the first BCC in higher education in Vietnam. UQ
and UD were issued with an Investment Licence in mid2004, superceded by an Investment Certificate by the
Danang DPI in mid-2007.
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4/10/2012
October 2004
Construction of a new building
to international standards to
accommodate the UD-UQ ELI
commenced.
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October 2006
A small team of staff moved
into the new UD-UQ ELI
building after damage
caused by Typhoon
Xangsane was repaired.
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4/10/2012
January 2007
UD-UQ ELI
commenced its first
General and Academic
English language
training programs for
10 students.
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March 2007
UD-UQ ELI became an official member of the
Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
April 2007
UD-UQ ELI became an approved test administration
centre for IELTS and the suite of Cambridge ESOL
tests. The first UD-UQ ELI administered IELTS test
was delivered for five candidates. From 4/2007 to
5/2012 IELTS tests have been administered to 3,096
candidates on 120 test days.
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4/10/2012
May 2007
UD-UQ ELI delivered its first corporate classes for
personnel from Furama Resort Danang and Danang
Customs. To date more than 300 staff from the Furama
Resort have received UD-UQ ELI English language training.
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June 2007
UD-UQ ELI premises were officially opened.
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4/10/2012
August 2007
UD-UQ ELI was granted full accreditation by NEAS International.
June 2008
UD-UQ ELI in collaboration with the Australian Embassy
hosted the "Viet Nam - Australia Then and Now" Exhibition
commemorating 35 years of
bilateral relations between
Vietnam and Australia.
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April 2009
The inaugural Professional Development Network (PDN)
session was held at the UD-UQ ELI. To date in 2012, UD-UQ
ELI has delivered 25 PDNs to Danang teachers of English.
November 2010
The first of the annual
International Diploma in
Language Teaching Management
(IDLTM) programs was delivered
at the UD-UQ ELI with a full
cohort of 12 participants.
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4/10/2012
May 2011
The Australian Governor General, Her Excellency
Dr Quentin Bryce AC, toured the UD-UQ ELI.
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2012
UD-UQ ELI celebrated 5
years of capacity building
in Danang and the
central region of Vietnam.
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4/10/2012
Challenges
• Understanding and meeting foreign regulatory and legal requirements
• Merging and integration of differentiated business practices and cultures
• Partner management and alignment
of expectations and objectives
• Alignment of local systems and
requirements with international
standards
• Movement from aid mentality to
financial self-sustainability
•Dealing with unanticipated
international competition
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Challenges
• Introduction and promotion of
international standards and the benefits
to the local market
• Recruiting and retaining the right people
– both locally engaged staff and foreign
staff
• Integrating local teachers – changing
perceptions
• Minimising isolation for the ELI and its
staff – making them part of the larger
organisation and culture
• Understanding local market conditions
and cultures
As the song says – “It is a Long and Winding Road”
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