International education and the challenges of equity in Vietnam’s transitional economy

Abstract

This chapter explores the challenges of social equity in international education from Vietnam’s perspective. It looks at inequality in terms of access to studying abroad and graduates’ participation in employment and social engagement when they return home. Drawing on the results of a survey and interviews with 280 Vietnamese returning graduates, the chapter makes two arguments. First, international higher education carries equity and social justice agendas from the wider society. The majority of postgraduates that studied overseas on scholarships were from high socioeconomic backgrounds while undergraduates that self-financed were from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. In this way, provision of scholarship by the Vietnamese government, bilateral agencies, and host universities amplify the “meritocracy” notion that reproduces the privileged class by giving them access to international experiences.