Danang has become known as Vietnam’s most livable city and is now a lively and colorful location for students with a passion for studying for second or third languages, including Korean, Chinese, Japanese and English.
Learn standard pronunciation with native-speaking lecturers
Learning a foreign language demands hiring lecturers with a native mastery of the nuances of their mother tongue. A prime DTU objective is now the recruitment of increasing numbers of foreign language lecturers to create an international cultural environment which allows students to accelerate their progress. The university offers the following majors:
- English for Translation and Interpretation
- English for Hospitality & Tourism
- Chinese for Translation and Interpretation
- Chinese for Hospitality & Tourism
- Korean for Translation and Interpretation
- Korean for Hospitality & Tourism
- Japanese for Translation and Interpretation
- Japanese for Hospitality & Tourism
DTU now has a team of experienced and dedicated foreign lecturers in place, including Professors Corbett Tyler from America, Katie Ann Couse from Canada, Campana Rhea Balbero and Viernes Pamela Dy from the Philippines, and Dr. Hsu Tsu Hsuan from China, Professor Chun Kyung-soo, the Provost of the DTU School of Foreign Languages (SFL) and Dr. Kim Zae-hi, both from Korea. Professor Kyung-soo is fluent in English, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese and Korean.
From left to right, Provost Chun Kyung-soo, Dr. Kim Zae-hi and Professor Tyler
“To learn a foreign language well, you must first consider the language as part of a culture and research the relationship between the culture and the language,” explains Professor Kyung-soo. “I thought deeply about methods of teaching how to navigate between the Vietnamese and Korean cultures in Southeast Asian universities and my aim is to create an intercultural dialog between South Korea and Vietnam. My American PhD adviser speaks eleven languages and I’ve learned a lot from him. I’ve spent much time studying Chinese and Vietnamese but don’t believe it’s possible to make a list of ways of learning foreign languages. If you’re resolved to do so however, you should create a thorough and regular personalized study plan and follow it at all times.”
Professor Tyler confirmed that, “Having native English lecturers at universities is vital, especially when learning pronunciation, idioms, phrases and complex verbs, which makes it much easier to understand local cultures. Teaching students of English at DTU, I can see quite clearly how their ability now improves markedly after focused study and practice, much better than before, and their improved communication skills ultimately give them the self-confidence to express themselves more clearly before graduation.”
- Dr. Kim Zae-hi adds, “Speaking a foreign language is like having the most trusted and kind-hearted friend in the world. Through the internet in particular, it allows us to have a clearer understanding of what’s happening in the countries of those who speak that language. Learning additional languages helps add to our knowledge and brings partners together to work across borders. It may also help us in everyday life later on.”
DTU Foreign Language students
Successful students of Korean, Chinese, Japanese and English will meet the following standards on graduation:
- At least a 4 HSK or higher score for listening, speaking, reading and writing Chinese
- At least a B1 in English in the Six-Level Competencies Framework of Vietnam
- At least level 5 (N5) in Japanese in the Six-Level Competencies Framework of Vietnam,
- A Korean TOPIK level 5 in the international Korean language proficiency framework.
International flavors at DTU
- Foreign Language students combine study and practice with competing in national contests.
- Exchange meetings with students from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea and others are held regularly at the university through the Passage to ASEAN and Learning Express programs, which enable DTU students to improve their foreign-language skills by interacting with multinational students to broaden their knowledge of foreign cultures.
Stimulating student activities
Frequent English debating contests also enhance communication, rhetoric, and critical as English language skills in general improve significantly.
“To prepare well for contests, my friends and I browse the internet to learn about various opinions on key events worldwide,” said Le Dang Trung after taking part in one. “The research also improves our vocabulary, special terminology and reading speed, serving as a foundation for the future.”
During their activities in the Foreign Languages department, students can savor the many flavors of the cultures of China, the UK, South Korea and Japan, all in one. At the welcoming ceremony and exchange activities, students dress in the traditional attire of their respective countries. A kkumnamu or “dream tree” is planted at the door of the Faculty of Korean Language, where students can write down their ambitions and go on to realize them during their time at university.
The ideal student testing location
Regular foreign-language testing allows students to conveniently adjust their specific study plans accordingly. The spacious fifth-floor Learning & Testing Center (LTC), at 254 Nguyen Van Linh, provides many types and levels of exams and tests, available free of charge or at appropriate prices:
- English IELTS courses for all four skills from beginner to the 6+ level
- HSK1 to HSK5 tests in Speaking and Writing
- Japanese-language tests from N5 and above
The DTU LTC
In English, the DTU LTC helps students achieve their required IELTS scores. New DTU Foreign Language students and others may go to the LTC for a free assessment test based on the IELTS exam format to find out their entry levels. The LTC enables Korean, Chinese and Japanese to more confidently and effectively improve their skill levels.
In 2021, DTU will award scholarships to Foreign Language applicants
- 8 full and partial scholarships for applicants who have won first, second, third or consolation prizes in national skilled-student or science & technology contests held by the Ministry of Education & Training, or those with a total 2021 three-subject HSGE score of 21 or more, excluding preferential points
- 700 scholarships worth from 500,000 to 2 million VND for applicants with a high-school transcript score of 22 or higher
- 450 DTU scholarships worth from 1 to 5 million VND for applicants with a total three-subject HSGE score from 5 to 10 points above the admissions minimum
(Media Center)