Another year of firsts - Education UK exhibition, a UK-Vietnam folk music collaboration and a national network for English teachers

The streets around the Metropole Hotel and the Sofitel Plaza Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City seemed to be awash with red, white and blue carrier bags held by young Vietnamese eager to collect as much information as possible on studying in the UK. Such was the scene at the first Education UK Exhibitions held in 2000 with over 4,500 people attending. The runaway success of the exhibitions at which 15 UK universities and colleges were represented led to an expansion of our education UK promotion service to cope with the demand from enquiries from families and students seeking advice about UK study.

Four A grades  for Luu Thi Thanh Binh

Binh is a big fan of UK education and her studies to date reflect this:

From 1998 to 2000 she studied A-levels at Ashbourne College, London and got four A gades in Maths, Economics, Applied Maths and Accounting – an astonishing achievement for anyone. In 2000 she then went on to study a BSc at one of Britain’s most famous University in Oxford and from September 2003 she is studying an Mphil there.

As if these academic achievements were not enough, Binh’s brother is now going to study at Oxford University’s great rival – Cambridge University

Musical Tales From Lands of Dragons

Perhaps one of the most unusual projects we’ve run was Musical Tales From Lands of Dragons, a musical collaboration between Welsh Folk groups Ferhhill and the Rag Foundation and Vietnamese folk musicians from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and H’mong musicians in Sapa. What surprised everyone was the compatibility and beauty of the different musical styles and the common dragon icon held dear by both countries. In Sapa an ethnic H’mong music group including singers and instrumentalists played for the first time with European musicians in the town’s local theatre to astounded audiences. The local people’s committee welcomed this collaboration saying it would greatly enhance the possibility of future projects and thus add to the tourist appeal of the area.  A BBC film crew accompanied the group as they travelled around Vietnam and made a short documentary for UK television.

A new network for English teachers

One of our most successful projects in terms of outreach and impact, Vietnam’s English Teacher Training Network was set up this year but it had its origins in many other workshop programmes involving English teachers we ran in Vietnam as far back as 1994.  Now active in 10 provinces and with over 1,000 upper secondary school teachers as members this is one of our flagship projects that goes from strength to strength each year as new teaching methodologies are introduced, visiting experts give workshops and the useful and the informative newsletter 'English Now' is regularly circulated to members. The network also flourishes because of the incredible commitment of the teachers who come to the regular meetings, conferences and workshops with great enthusiasm, open minds, a willingness to learn new skills and teaching techniques and a sense of fun.

Another office move!

The crowning achievement of 2000 has to be the office move from Cao Ba Quat to 40 Cat Linh Street. Double the size of the Cao Ba Quat sight the new premises gave us the chance to expand our operation once again with a large information centre with internet access, more classrooms and above all we found a place that didn’t flood!

Also in 2000

New British Council Director David Cordingley takes up his position in June

The Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Colin Metters plays to the Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Van Khai at the Opera House with piano soloist Bich Tra.

Popular Book exhibition ‘Sporting Nation’ held in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

Closing ceremony for the DANIDA/UNDP funded English language training contract that began in 1998

Launch of 'UK class of 2000' competition where entrants had to identify the names of 99 pictures and photographs of famous and significant Britons