During the first two months of the New Year of 2018, Canadian experts from Niagara College, Durham College and College of North Atlantics have visited and worked at their partner community colleges in the province of Vinh Long, Hau Giang and Binh Thuan, respectively.

The programme marks the Canadian institutions' eighth mission in Vietnam, as part of the Vietnam Skills for Employment Project (VSEP). VSEP aims to provide on-going trainings and supports to one exemplary program developed under the project in each of the three target provinces that reflect industry needs. The training are based on Canadian best practices.

Meeting with VSEP Project Director and the Rector Board to update on status of the Food Technology Program and proposed activities. (Photos: VSEP/ Binh Mai).

From January 10^th to 25^th, four experts from Niagara College (NC) and Mr. Michael Emblem- VSEP Project Director visited Vinh Long Community College to have a review and update on proposed activities, status of the Food Technology Program delivery and equipment procurement, marketing and recruitment as well as Employer Engagement through Practicum and Internship. The experts also conducted training to faculty staff and program development team on the following topics: Delivery and Evaluation of Labs, Students Portfolios, E-Portfolios, Reflection on Learning, How to create, manage and grade student group work and projects.

Canadian experts from Durham College trained faculty and Student Service team of Hau Giang Community College about different areas of student services through interactive sessions and workshops (Photos: VSEP/ Binh Mai)

Meanwhile, from January 22^nd to February 1^st, Hau Giang Community College (HGCC) (Hau Giang province) welcomed experts from Durham College (DC) to continue their support on the Food and Pharmaceutical Technology Program.

The two sides have been working on the student services planning sessions and interactive workshops which provide the HGCC Student Service team with information about DC practices and strategies that will support students' success, leadership skills, career planning and development.

Each of the priority areas and topics that are addressed will help contribute to the recruitment, retention, and student-centered teaching approach. Through this, a Student Services Action Plan will be created. In addition, DC has shared a variety of resources and tools to help identify barriers to success, academic advising core competencies, and student centered advising models, student leadership and engagement and orientation activities.

Mr. Roger Andrews, Culinary instructor from College of North Atlantic in a teaching session for the students in the first batch of the new VSEP program of Hospitality and Tourism at Binh Thuan Community College (Photos: VSEP/ Binh Mai)

From January 22^nd to February 7^th, two College of North Atlantics (CNA) experts have visited Binh Thuan on the ongoing mission to support the Hospitality and Tourism Program at Binh Thuan Community College. They have conducted a tour surveying the school's training facilities to update on the status of the equipment and tools in teaching kitchen lab.

In addition, they have shared CNA’s best practices with faculty staff and managers on key areas such as how to build social connection on campus, how to operate the kitchen lab as a business to create profits for equipment procurement and upgrade in the future.

They also taught the students about the new program regarding hygiene standard in the kitchen laboratory, conducted sample teaching sessions for the teachers to observe and observe learning experiences in classroom to identify strengths and offer feedback.

Another important part in CNA's agenda is working with the Student service team at Binh Thuan Community College to discuss ways to support students' success such as: supporting students with disabilities, scholarship and tuition support, internship at local businesses, organizing extracurricular activities for students.

Based on the knowledge acquired over the week, they will back up Binh Thuan Community College in drafting the action plan for Student Services Development at the college. On this occasion, Ms. Harriet Roos- First Secretary of Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and Mr. Michael Emblem- VSEP Project Director also had a visit to the college to review the project progress to date.

Mr. Jeffrey Patry, expert from College of North Atlantic trained faculty staff and manager of Binh Thuan Community College on Student Services.(Photos: VSEP/ Binh Mai)

VSEP is a project funded by Global Affairs Canada and is implemented by Agriteam Canada to strengthen the Technical and Professional Training system in Vietnam to better serve the Vietnamese growing economy based on best practices of the Canadian College system. It began in November, 2014 and will end in January, 2020./.

( VNF/VSEP )