Michael Sheppard Highlights Vietnamese Students’ Growing Interest in the Netherlands

Wittenborg continues to strengthen its international ties, with significant efforts being made in Vietnam. Michael Sheppard, the school’s Recruitment & Sales Representative, was in Ho Chi Minh City from 10 to 21 June, with the goal of solidifying relationships with education agents and prospective students. 

Sheppard’s visit was strategically planned around the ICEF South East Asia event, where he had a packed schedule. “At ICEF South East Asia I had over 50 meetings with student agents and other stakeholders from various countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand,” he noted. 

According to him, the response from these meetings was overwhelmingly positive. “I had discussions with agents and with current students at Wittenborg, as well as people going through the application process and prospective students for the future. They are always impressed with the opportunities and course packages we offer, and the school’s student support services also stand out.” 

Besides attending the ICEF event, Sheppard visited 10 individual agencies in Ho Chi Minh City. These partners are crucial for Wittenborg because they act as key promoters of the school’s offerings to students. “The meetings with agencies went well. I had met many of them before which is really great because you can build personal relationships this way. That’s something Wittenborg in general is amazing at,” the representative said.

Sheppard points out that there is a growing interest from Vietnamese students in the Netherlands and Wittenborg. “I did talk to potential students through the agency visits, and they seemed really enthusiastic and interested in the Netherlands. When I asked them why, they mentioned reasons such as the quality of life, the high standards of education and the fact that it’s a reasonably priced country, with an interesting culture and access to the European Union,” he explained. 

Regarding Wittenborg, one of the most attractive factors for Vietnamese students is the range of courses and specialisations offered by the school, which are highly sought after by the market. “We have interesting specialisations dedicated to relevant fields including Logistics and cutting-edge subjects like Cybersecurity, Applied Artificial Intelligence and Entrepreneurship & Fintech. These are really exciting topics and rapidly expanding new industries,” he remarked. 

The representative concludes by underlining that Vietnam holds a special place in Wittenborg’s international strategy. “Wittenborg is well established there and we have a strong community of Vietnamese students. Moreover, because we are the most international business school in the Netherlands, and we are teaching globalised business practices, it is fundamental that we have people from all corners of the world. So, Vietnam has always played an important part in the globalisation of our courses and experience.” 

WUP 15/07/2024 
by Ulisses Sawczuk 
©WUAS Press