Former Southeast Asian Studies student: from major dilemmas to early successes.

From the anxiety of choosing a major to landing your dream job.
I often heard my teachers mention Le Viet Anh, a student from the first cohort (K63) of the Southeast Asian Studies program. She was the class vice-president of the K63 Southeast Asian Studies class, known for her dynamism, sharp intellect, and outstanding academic achievements. Curious about what she was doing now, I contacted her. To my surprise, she's currently working in Thailand.
She was very happy to learn that I was a third-year student majoring in Southeast Asian Studies and shared: “When I was standing at the threshold of university, I also felt confused about choosing a major. But when I researched Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU-USSH), I discovered that this major teaches Thai – the language of the country I love and have always dreamed of learning so I could go 'follow my idols' like many of my friends back then.”
Upon enrolling, Viet Anh realized that the Southeast Asian Studies program at VNU-USSH offered a very attractive interdisciplinary training program, with solid knowledge of the culture, history, economics, and society of Southeast Asia. Furthermore, the program's modules emphasized developing soft skills such as communication, negotiation, critical thinking, and teamwork – skills crucial to her success in her current job.

Graduating in 2022 with a foundation of knowledge and skills from Southeast Asian Studies, coupled with personal effort, Viet Anh confidently entered the job market and quickly achieved success. She had the opportunity to participate in the International Visitor Leadership Program in the US, and for the past two years, she has worked for a multinational company in Thailand, while also participating in international projects. Currently, she is a manager at Hanoi Pride – a social enterprise focused on gender equality and empowering LGBTIQ+ individuals. She enthusiastically added, “If I had the chance to choose again, I would still choose Southeast Asian Studies.”
Southeast Asian Studies – Exceeding Expectations
The second person I contacted was Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, a former student from the K63 cohort. Ms. Huong had dreamed of getting into prestigious universities like the Foreign Trade University or the University of Economics, but her exam scores weren't as high as she hoped. She decided to choose the Southeast Asian Studies program at VNU-USSH. Surprisingly, this program provided her with a broad foundation of knowledge, with a focus on foreign language training, soft skills, and critical thinking. She understood that this would enable graduates to work in various fields such as journalism, business, human resources, teaching, and research. Therefore, she could fully pursue her initial entrepreneurial path.
Currently, Ms. Huong is the Director of WEGO International Joint Stock Company, a company specializing in importing fabrics from abroad, processing them into finished products, and supplying them to the market. Notably, she has leveraged her Indonesian language skills and knowledge of Indonesia gained during her university years to import machinery components from that country. She proudly shares that her passion for learning Indonesian motivated her to seek out and expand her business network with Indonesia.

Choosing and succeeding in Southeast Asian Studies because of… idols.
When I was researching the career paths of alumni of Southeast Asian Studies, I was introduced to Hoang Duy Hung, a former class president of the K63 cohort. When asked about his reasons for choosing Southeast Asian Studies, Hung shared an interesting story. He explained that in 2017, he passed the entrance exam for Archival Studies and studied for one semester. However, upon learning that the university was opening a Southeast Asian Studies program in 2018, he decided to retake the exam because his idol – a former Southeast Asian Studies student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City – was the President of the Global Young Entrepreneurs Association and CEO of Viettravel. The success and extensive travel of his idol greatly motivated Duy Hung. Hung is also passionate about history and geography, so Southeast Asian Studies was the ideal opportunity for him to delve deeper into these fields.

      Mr. Hoang Duy Hung - the talented former class president of the K63 Southeast Asian Studies course.

When asked about how his Southeast Asian Studies major has influenced his work, Mr. Hung shared: “Although I studied as an amateur, the holistic approach and emphasis on critical thinking skills in Southeast Asian Studies equipped me with important foundational knowledge.” Mr. Hung particularly emphasized the value of critical thinking and soft skills such as communication and management, which he has applied to his work. Starting his high-end perfume business in 2021, he has been quite successful, earning profits ranging from approximately 50 million VND to 70-80 million VND per month. This work not only provides a stable income but also helps him expand his social network and improve his time and personnel management skills.

Currently, Mr. Hung is also working at a study abroad consulting center. He shared: "After stabilizing my business, I wanted to experience something new, so I decided to work at a study abroad center." He believes that his knowledge of the economics, culture, and history of many countries, along with his English skills acquired from his Southeast Asian Studies major, helps him convey useful information to many students, supporting them in reaching out to the international community. He hopes that his experiences will contribute to motivating Southeast Asian Studies students, encouraging them to be confident and strive to achieve their goals in life and work.
TFrom Korean language instructor to researcher in Political and Diplomatic Studies.
To illustrate the richness of this field of study, I contacted Mr. Nguyen Van Ky, a former student from the first cohort of the Southeast Asian Studies program (K63). During his studies, he not only excelled in the Southeast Asian Studies program but also pursued a double degree in Korean. After graduating with honors in Southeast Asian Studies and achieving a distinction in Korean in 2022, he became a Korean language lecturer at Bach Khoa College of Technology. However, his passion for Southeast Asian Studies research continues to drive him.

Therefore, he decided to apply for a graduate scholarship in South Korea, majoring in Political Science and Diplomacy, to continue his research and broaden his understanding of issues related to Southeast Asia. Currently, he is in his second year of the Master's program at Busan National University, South Korea.
The journey from top student in Southeast Asian studies to international student in Europe with a passion for community development.
Ms. Le Thao Nguyen (a former student of the K63 cohort) also had an impressive journey, graduating as the valedictorian of the Southeast Asian Studies major and being highly regarded by many professors for her diligence and enthusiasm in all her work. Even while still in university, she harbored the dream of studying abroad to gain experience, broaden her knowledge, and improve herself. Therefore, from her second year of university, she actively participated in seminars and sharing sessions organized by the Faculty on scientific research, as well as student union activities to hone her soft skills and leadership skills.

In 2022, she graduated as valedictorian in Southeast Asian Studies and was honored with a Certificate of Commendation from the Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee. After graduation, she worked at CARE International in Vietnam, an innovative and dynamic organization that has collaborated with international and domestic organizations on over 300 projects with the long-term goal of helping poor and disadvantaged urban and rural people, especially women, benefit equally from development.
Driven by a passion for community development, she decided to apply for a master's scholarship to gain more in-depth research and study on the issues she had encountered and experienced while working at CARE. With that determination, she won a scholarship from KU Leuven to pursue an Erasmus Mundus MA in Sports Ethics and Integrity, offering the opportunity to study in five European countries – Belgium, the Czech Republic, Spain, Germany, and Greece – for two years. This coming September, she will be heading to KU Leuven to begin her first semester.
Ms. Le Thao Nguyen further shared: “To have this precious opportunity, I am deeply grateful to the professors and lecturers of Southeast Asian Studies, Faculty of Oriental Studies, for their teaching, guidance, and mentorship throughout my studies and personal development at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Their dedicated guidance is a vital source of motivation that helps me move forward on my path.”
From a math-focused student to aspiring Southeast Asian studies researcher.
Good news keeps coming for former K63 Southeast Asian Studies student Nguyen Bui Minh Anh, who has just received a master's scholarship from the Indonesian government. Having been a science student in high school, Minh Anh decided to switch to the Social Sciences and Humanities and chose Southeast Asian Studies at VNU-USSH, even though she was still somewhat uncertain about the field at the time. However, she has never regretted this decision. From the very beginning of her studies, she quickly discovered her passion for the Indonesian language and culture. Along with Huong, Minh Anh was one of the top students in her Indonesian language class.

During her studies, she was invited to attend international conferences organized by the Indonesian government. After graduating, she worked at FPT Smart Cloud, a job that required proficiency in Indonesian and offered promising prospects. However, her passion for research remained strong, and she decided to pursue a master's scholarship in Indonesia. In early July 2024, she was informed by Gadja Mada University – one of the leading universities in Indonesia, with a large number of international students – that she had been awarded a scholarship for a Master's program in International Relations and would begin her studies in September 2024. Ms. Minh Anh aspires to become a leading researcher specializing in Southeast Asian international relations and contribute to promoting Vietnam-Indonesia relations.
Low tuition fees, high opportunities - shaping your future through Southeast Asian Studies.
It's impossible not to mention Khanh Vi (a former student of the K64 cohort) - who held the title of valedictorian and valedictorian of the graduating class in 2023.
Upon learning more about her, I discovered that Khanh Vi chose Southeast Asian Studies primarily for financial reasons. She chose USSH because of its lower tuition fees compared to many other universities, and because, despite being a new field, it seemed quite appealing. In our conversation, Khanh Vi shared that the program met her expectations: "The tuition is reasonable, yet the quality is still excellent." She was impressed with the faculty, who are well-trained abroad, capable of teaching in English, and providing comprehensive knowledge of the economics, culture, history, and politics of Southeast Asia. She also received support from Associate Professor Pham Phuong Chi to delve deeper into the study of Southeast Asian literature, a field with great potential and opportunities.

Besides her studies, Khanh Vi also participates in international literary conferences, and recently she has had two research papers in English published in international conference proceedings, a book review in an English-language journal, and another article in a domestic scientific research journal. Recently, she received a KNB scholarship from the Indonesian government to pursue a Master's degree in Indonesian Language Education.
Studying Southeast Asian Studies opens doors to many opportunities.
Listening to the career and academic journeys of the first-year students in Southeast Asian Studies, I realized that my field of study truly opens up many opportunities after graduation. It's not just Viet Anh, Huong, Duy Hung, Ky, Minh Anh, Khanh Vi, Thao Nguyen,... but also many other alumni of the program who are working at embassies, corporations, and non-governmental organizations, etc.
Although I haven't had the chance to contact and talk with more alumni of Southeast Asian Studies, I will continue to connect with them to learn from their inspiring journeys, thereby motivating future students like us to study and strive for excellence. Certainly, we will no longer have any doubts, because with effort and dedication, the rich potential of Southeast Asian Studies will bring us many opportunities!