Vietnam: Thai Nguyen University

· Annual student population: 45,500

· 13,960 Pathways students

· Pathways participant since 2001

The Thai Nguyen University is a public university based in Thai Nguyen City, capital of Thai Nguyen province, in the Northeast Mountains of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Goals
The Pathways to Higher Education program at Thai Nguyen University strives to increase the number of historically marginalized students graduating from the institution and entering the workforce. To achieve this mission, the university’s Pathways program is focused on improving or developing:

• Outreach practices, such as entrance exam preparation for disadvantaged high school students.
• Financial aid counseling for high school students.
• Tutoring and mentoring programs for Pathways students.
• English language and computer science courses.

Target Population
The Pathways program has helped the university reach out to historically neglected ethnic minority groups, like the Thai, Nung, Tay, and Muong. It has also enabled the university to provide special outreach to women, orphans, low-income students and those in remote areas.

Outcomes
To date, the Pathways program at Thai Nguyen University:

• Improved recruitment practices, including academic support for potential Pathways students.
• Created financial aid counseling for potential Pathways students.
• Improved English language and computer science courses.
• Provided career counseling for Pathways students.

• Tay Nguyen University project management board. EXPERIENCES OF TAY NGUYEN UNIVERSITY IN IMPLEMENTATION P.H.E PROJECT, August 2005.
• Review And Assessment Of Project “Supporting Students Intake For University And Improving Training Quality For Disadvantaged Students At Tay Nguyen University”, August 2005.
• Pathway to Higher Education for the Disadvantage Students in Thai Nguyen University, November 2006.