On November 17, Dr. Le Nguyen Bao, DTU Provost, met with students to present some advice on how to succeed at university by broadening their background knowledge and skills.
Dr. Le Nguyen Bao, DTU Provost
Dr. Le Nguyen Bao posed several questions to engage students in the discussion. One of them was “Do you think that you will continue studying for a post-graduate degree?” The majority responded that they would not, but some had other answers. After listening to their ideas, Dr. Le Nguyen Bao said: “Some of you may continue to study for a Master’s degree or a Doctorate. However, learning never ends. On graduation, you will all continue studying at your university, workplace or elsewhere. Studying is a long journey and we can learn everywhere.”
Dr. Le Nguyen Bao is a valedictorian of the Faculty of Business Administration of the State University of New York (SUNY) in the US and received a Master’s degree in Information Systems from Carnegie Mellon University. He shared his experiences to help students identify their personal objectives and find ways of achieving them.
He stressed the differences between studying at university and at high school. At university, the credit-based study system is applied. Due to the large volumes of required new and vital information, students should do more research independently, and work with their lecturers and mentors on specific study issues. University students must know their goals, be motivated and more self-disciplined.
The DTU Provost and students
Dr. Le Nguyen Bao also encouraged students to take part in community activities. He explained time management methods to motivate them, like creating their own study plans. He advised: “You should know why you are attending university. Are you studying for the sake of yourself or your family? Why did you choose your major? Every one of you should balance your studying, eating, studying and sleeping requirements and set your own long-term plans. Then you will develop the ambition to achieve something in your lives, providing that these are good like earning high grades or doing good things in the community. This will help you decide whether you will work for a company on graduation or start your own business”
Thanks to the Provost, the freshmen realized that, in addition to their majors, there are many other things to learn. Bui Chi Thien, a K26 Tourism & Hospitality Management student said: “I am happy and excited. Now I know how to motivate myself, develop a study plan and goals for the future. I certainly made the right decision by enrolling at DTU.”
(Media Center)