Vietnam

Private higher education institutions are serving the excess and quick-growing population. They are responsive and absorbing the strong demand of workforce development. It is widely discussed amongst private higher education institutions that they are still in the water-testing stage and early development amidst the fluctuating laws and regulations. This article is a synopsis of PHEI leaders’ concerns over the development of private higher education in Vietnam.

Domestic violence and sexual violence has been an increasing yet taboo topic within Vietnamese society for a long time. But with the recent passing of a new law and more support programs available to assist survivors, hope is brightening the dark tunnel of domestic violence.

Nược Đua’ is how Vietnamese living in the Mekong Delta used to call out to the dolphins ‘to help them out when they were fishing. That was decades ago, when the Irrawaddy dolphin could still be seen in Vietnam.

Valerie Hammond came out as a gay man when she was 17 before realizing that she is a trans woman. In sharing her personal experiences of becoming transgender two years ago, she reflects on the continual social discrimination and lack of legal rights the LGBTQIA+ community in Vietnam still face.

Nguyen Qui Duc, radio broadcaster, writer, designer, editor and translator, based in Hanoi reflects about the impact of the pandemic on Vietnamese society.

The slow implementation of urban waste solutions and wastewater treatment projects leads to environmental problems and the risk of unsustainable development in the near future on Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam.

The Mekong River in the Vietnamese delta region has consistently received its lowest flow levels in recent years, limiting rice-growing and other crops. Climate change, saline intrusion, and hydropower dams have all significantly impacted farmers’ livelihoods but Resolution 120, a response from the Vietnamese government, is expected to provide some hope for a shift in agricultural strategy and food security for the future. 

Maggie Tra, founder of SYS Sister Sounds and Hà Nội Community Radio, keeps pushing boundaries to give Vietnamese women more opportunities in the music industry. Navigating a path through DJ-ing in Hanoi, offering workshops and encouragement to others, she hopes the music sector will evolve to see more diverse participation and change perspectives of what women can do.

Several cities and provinces in Vietnam are reopening after a so-called tragic fourth wave of COVID-19. Along with societal and economic losses, waste generated from daily routines and medical facilities has become a huge consequence and the country must learn how to deal with the overwhelming waste.