For foreign students, the Netherlands is always one of the leading options for their study. The Dutch Government has made efforts to make it easy for foreign students to get access to the country’s graduate and postgraduate education.
Recently, Neso Vietnam (the Netherlands Education Support Office in Vietnam) organised four Holland education fairs in Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho to help Vietnamese students to get access to Dutch universities and colleges or find necessary information about education in the Netherlands before making decision to go to the country for their graduate and postgraduate education.
The Netherlands is known as a country of high quality graduate and postgraduate education. This is thanks to the country’s law and quality commitments. Also, graduate and postgraduate education is subsidised in the Netherlands, students have to pay less than other countries, especially the US and the UK. The local universities provide an international study environment with around 1,150 programmes and courses taught in English. As a result, the Netherlands has become a leader in international study in Europe. Furthermore, the Netherlands has a beautiful natural environment and an open society. In particular, from the Netherlands, students can easily travel to neighbouring countries. At the same time, a network of associations in local educational establishments can gather students together by organising study, sport and entertainment activities.
There are two main types of regular higher education, including universities and universities of professional education. There are 14 government-approved universities in the Netherlands, three of which specialise in engineering. These institutions essentially train students in academic study and the application of knowledge. The study programmes offered by universities of professional education (hogescholen) are career-oriented. Acquiring practical work experience through internships is an integral part of professional study programmes. The Netherlands has been offering another form of higher education for more than 50 years: advanced courses taught in English in what is known as ‘international education’.
The teaching style can be described as student-centred: providing students with the attention and freedom they need to develop their own opinions and creativity in applying their newly acquired knowledge. The Netherlands has received international acclaim for its groundbreaking Problem-Based Learning system, which trains students to analyze and solve practical problems independently through emphasis on self-study and self-discipline.
At present, around 900 Vietnamese students are studying at universities in the Netherlands. According to the Ho Chi Minh City-based Dutch consul, Vietnamese students may get scholarships from Nuffic, (the Netherlands organisation for international co-operation in higher education) under the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands. Neso Vietnam is an education support office of the organisation.
Vietnam is one of the countries to have fulltime students getting scholarships from the Dutch Government (except Germany, Belgium, China and Indonesia). Business and administration, social and behavioural science, health, engineering and engineering trades, and arts are main specialties of foreign students. The Dutch Government each year spent around EUR 5.2 million per annum granting scholarships for foreign students (statistic figures of the 2004-2005 academic year). The Dutch Government each year spent around EUR 5.2 million per annum granting scholarships for foreign students (statistic figures of the 2004-2005 academic year).
To get scholarships, applicants can choose and make contacts with universities at which they want to study. After being accepted by the universities, they can send their applications for scholarships and relevant documents to the Dutch embassy or consul in Vietnam. Or they may contact with Neso Vietnam at 35 Le Thanh Ton, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City or visit the website: nesovietnam.com for further information.
M.N
Vietnamese
