VinUniversity is a private, not-for-profit university that was established with support from Vingroup. Located about 20 miles southeast of downtown Hanoi, the campus consists of 56.83 acres of academic buildings, a residence hall, outdoor gardens, a sports complex, and a 1,500-seat auditorium. The University has an aspirational goal of being a world-class institution in the next several years. Quite simply, the campus is absolutely stunning.
There are four academic schools at VinUniversity: College of Business and Management, College of Health Sciences, College of Engineering & Computer Science, and College of Arts and Sciences. What greatly impressed me about the campus is the physical infrastructure and intentional design of the campus. Academic units are next to each other, promoting cross-collaboration. For example, faculty and staff offices in the College of Business and Management are adjacent to the offices of the College of Engineering & Computer Science, promoting conversation. VinUniversity also has numerous spaces created for collaboration, including numerous conference rooms, outdoor spaces, and numerous spaces for students (e.g., a 2-story library, team-based learning classrooms, and a 24-hour study room).
The College of Business and Management provides a Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management. A new Hospitality Lab will provide safety training programs, provide a cooking area, and a wine classroom for students and other stakeholders. I hope to provide the opportunity for MSU Denver School of Hospitality faculty to provide cross-educational courses and workshops (e.g., a workshop on Colorado beers anyone?).
In my first week, I attended a research strategy session with the College of Business and Management faculty, attended a lecture by Dr. Rajat Mittal from Johns Hopkins University, and spent time with faculty and staff, learning about their research and teaching initiatives. Vietnam is a high-context culture, meaning relationships are critical for moving initiatives forward. To this end, I have become acquainted with faculty/staff over coffee, meals, and even a Craft Beer Station.
