A Vietnamese student studying in Germany wrote a 700-page thesis in Vietnamese and received a perfect score.

Etienne Mahler (Vietnamese name: Minh)

Special students

Etienne Mahler (Vietnamese name: Minh) is a German student studying Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

Born and raised in Germany, Etienne Mahler developed a passion and love for Vietnam and its people after a student exchange program. He then decided to stay and study in Vietnam, and has been there for over seven years now.

What was particularly striking about this German student was his thesis, which was over 700 pages long, and the arduous journey he undertook while writing it for his graduation project.

When Etienne Mahler began working on his thesis, he chose the topic "Challenges faced by the Vietnamese government in combating the Covid-19 pandemic."But fortunately for Vietnam, the pandemic has been controlled very well, thanks to the concerted efforts of the entire population and the entire government."

At that point, Etienne Mahler had completed half of his thesis. However, he understood that the essence of research was discovering something new, not studying a problem that already had a solution. Therefore, all of his previous research had to be halted.

Thanks to his diligence and strong logical thinking skills, Etienne Mahler made a bold decision to shift the research topic of his thesis to:Technical education at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi (USSH-VNU): Current status, expectations, and development orientation.".

The main objective of this research is to analyze and evaluate the development and current state of digital education in teaching and learning at USSH, especially during the period when the Covid-19 pandemic was still unfolding with many complex developments and students had to study online extensively.
 

Etienne Mahler is pictured with Professor Pham Quang Minh (Former Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi).

What makes this thesis special is that it comprises over 125 pages of content and 600 pages of appendices in Vietnamese. This is one of the few graduation theses by foreign students that has received such serious and thorough preparation.

With his intelligence, a philosophical background from Germany, and strong determination, Etienne Mahler's thesis was outstanding, winning over all four professors on the thesis evaluation committee with four perfect scores of 10.

Dr. Dang Hoai Giang, lecturer at the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, said: "Etienne Mahler is a special student of the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language with excellent Vietnamese language skills and a dynamic personality, quickly integrating into the living and learning environment. Despite being a foreign student, Etienne Mahler is well-known to most students in the university. Furthermore, Etienne Mahler always actively participates in university and faculty activities. In particular, this student possesses a rich aptitude for scientific research."

Dr. Le Thi Thanh Tam, who guided Etienne Mahler to successfully complete his thesis, shared: "Etienne Mahler is an extremely intelligent person with high logical thinking skills and a keen sensitivity in scientific research. His critical thinking is quite good due to his solid foundation in Philosophy."
 

Etienne Mahler at the school's opening ceremony.

Throughout the process of writing her graduation thesis, Etienne Mahler consistently stood out as a self-reliant student, independently thinking and developing her own approach to problem-solving. Furthermore, she was a diligent international student, actively researching and seeking out new knowledge.

When working on their graduation thesis, many foreign students want their lecturers to provide extensive feedback, but Etienne Mahler didn't want excessive corrections; instead, he desired objectivity and the confidence to express what he had learned during his seven years in Vietnam."

"For Vietnamese students, writing a graduation thesis that's over 100 pages long is already a big challenge. Etienne Mahler's thesis, however, has a content structure of over 125 pages, but what's special is that the appendix is ​​600 pages long. This is the most exceptional thesis I've ever seen. This also reflects Etienne Mahler's confidence, personality, and high sense of responsibility," emphasized Dr. Le Thi Thanh Tam.

Continue your studies to obtain a master's or doctoral degree in Vietnam.

Sharing with the reporter, Etienne Mahler said: "Initially, when I started learning Vietnamese, the hardest thing for me was pronouncing the tones in Vietnamese. German doesn't have tones, and German grammar is quite flexible, while Vietnamese grammar is more complex. That's when I understood the Vietnamese saying: 'The storms and tempests are nothing compared to Vietnamese grammar.'"

Because I had previously studied Chinese and was familiar with using diacritical marks, I easily and confidently communicated and used Vietnamese fluently. Furthermore, I was able to conduct research in Vietnamese, something I never thought possible before."

Etienne Mahler - received the First Prize for Student Scientific Research in the 2017-2018 academic year.

During my studies at the school, my scientific research project was...Comparing the level of independence among young people in German and Vietnamese societies." by Etienne Mahler under the guidance of Dr. Dang Hoai Giang won second prize in the student scientific research competition at Hanoi National University (academic year 2017-2018), and first prize at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and Faculty level.

Etienne Mahler said that during his studies at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, the professors provided a lot of help, such as Professor Dang Hoang Giang, who helped him understand language structure, correct spelling errors, and address many other life issues. The professors in Vietnam are more enthusiastic and caring than those in Germany. This makes him love the learning culture here. The professors also always understand the difficulties and problems faced by international students and are able to help as quickly as possible.

Etienne Mahler is described by his friends as a very friendly person. As a class leader, Etienne Mahler is always responsible for the international students. He is fluent in several languages, including English, Vietnamese, and Chinese (conversational). Therefore, he has been able to bring everyone closer together.

Etienne Mahler and foreign students pose for a photo with Dr. Tran Bach Hieu during a class on Ho Chi Minh Thought.

Besides his passion for learning the Vietnamese language, Etienne Mahler also enjoys photography and exploring the cultural and spiritual tourist destinations of Vietnam. His desire is to discover all the wonderful things, new lands, and customs of the Vietnamese people.

When asked about his plans after graduation, Etienne Mahler said: "I hope to continue living and participating in the further development of Vietnamese culture, society, and people. However, due to ongoing legal and paperwork issues, I will find ways to stay in Vietnam long-term. My immediate goal is to pursue a master's and doctoral degree in Vietnam to gain a thorough understanding of the culture, language, and people here."

Currently, in addition to his studies, Etienne Mahler is also an editor and translator for several scientific newspapers and journals (the Journal of Social Sciences and the Journal of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences) and works as a freelancer for professors who need his services.

It's clear that the people, culture, and language of Vietnam captivated this German man, making it impossible for him to leave. Vietnamese education continues to hold significant appeal for international students if humanistic, liberal, and innovative values ​​are always upheld. Etienne Mahler's love for the Vietnamese language and culture further strengthens the Vietnamese people's belief in their national values ​​and identity.