In order to implement the Project "Learning and teaching of foreign languages in the national education system for the period of 2008-2020", with the aim of improving the quality of foreign language teaching and learning at Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment (HUNRE), under the direction of the Board, the Department of Foreign Languages (DFL) has cooperated with Volunteer for Peace (VPV) on inviting several international volunteers to support lecturers and students in teaching and learning English. From March 18, 2013 to present, this volunteer work has constituted some remarkable educational and social achievements as follows:

1. VOLUNTEERS’ GENERAL INFORMATION

By December 2016, the number of volunteer working at the University has been 42 volunteers. They come from America, Denmark, the Netherlands, The USA, Germany, Canada, France, Sweden, and Austria, Spain, Taiwan, Japan:

- 2013: 01 American volunteers

- 2014: 03 Danish volunteers

- 2015: 01 German volunteer, 03 American volunteers, 01 Swedish volunteer

- 2016: 02 Dutch volunteers, 02 Danish volunteer, 01 Austrian volunteer, 01 French volunteer, 01 Canadian volunteer, 01 German volunteers, 01 Japanese volunteer, 01 Vietnamese volunteer.

- 2017: 01 German volunteer, 16 Hong Kong volunteers, 01 Danish volunteer, 01 French volunteer, 02 American volunteers, 02 Spanish volunteers, 01 Taiwanese volunteer.

2.   VOLUNTEER TASKS:

Because international volunteers are confident of communicating in English, DFL assigned them to perform the following tasks:

- Work as teaching assistants for lecturers of DFL to support students in English pronunciation, listening and speaking topics.

- Participate in active learning activities to enhance communication skill of DFL lecturers

- Help lecturers of other Faculties enable to communicate in English successfully.

3.      ACHIEVEMENTS:

There have been 35 intensive English courses for communication skill successfully organized, with the attendance of many Faculties, Departments, and Centers at HUNRE including Marine Science and Island Faculty, Environmental and Natural Resources Economics Faculty, Land Administration Faculty, Surveying and Mapping Faculty, Environmental Faculty, Water Resources Faculty, Information Technology Faculty,  Hydro – Meteorology Faculty, Basic Science Faculty, Political Theory Faculty, Department of Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Centre for Advanced Research on Global Change, Center of Information Technology. Despite of time and knowledge limitations, these intensive courses helped HUNRE lecturers become more confident of their English communication skill and encourage them to self-study English.

Besides, these volunteers have worked as teaching assistants under DFL lecturers’guidance to provide students’ inspiration and additional information. This activity offers favourable opportunities for students to practice English speaking skill and enhancing their communication skills as well as inspiring them to study English better. Also, it creates a friendly cultural environment between HUNRE students and international friends.

Finally, international volunteers have participated in weekly English discussions with DFL lecturers which helped them improve their communication and presentation skills.

4.      ASSESSMENT OF  VOLUNTEER WORK:

- VPV’s Feedback: VPV managers and coordinators are willing to support international volunteers in accommondation, legal and administrative procedures. VPV has established a close connection between DFL and international volunteers.

- International Volunteers’ Feed back: those are who participated in volunteer work at HUNRE gained valuable experience. International volunteers also highly appreciate substantial contributions of Department of Foreign Languages, Science-Technology and International Relations, and other departments  to educational development and enthusiastic welcome from HUNRE lecturers, officers, and students.

- DFL’s Feedback: working with international volunteers’ assistance is a valuable opportunity for HUNRE lecturers to experience cooperative learning if they can take the advantages of this pedagogical approach. This is the period of time when a number of teachers assigned to suffer from psychological pressure; however, it is the positive experience improving their professional knowledge and teamwork.

DFL highly appreciates all contributions of two DFL lecturers working as coordinators namely, Ms. Tran Thi Thuy Linh and Ms. Dinh Thi Hoai, who has overcome many difficulties to manage volunteer work.

The University’s Feedback: the Governing Board has created favorable conditions for volunteer work. Science-Technology and International Relations Department has been extremely active in processing volunteer work permit.

Recommendations:

The University’s units: Classrooms’ activities should be prepared more careful in order to improve English teaching and learning environment and the effectiveness of volunteer work. For example, Faculty of Land Administration and Department of Climate Change and Sustainable Development received positive feedback from international volunteers and trainees after 4 lessons.

Basic English classes: It is necessary to provide more projectors and Wifi-Internet to  English Classes in order to enhance infrastructure for teaching purposes.

The relationship between VPV and The University in general, and Department of Foreign Languages in particular is harmonious; however, there are some drawbacks which should be solved in the coming time.

Other news:

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• INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER WORK (21/03/2016)
• Working schedule of Danish volunteers (01/03 - 01/05) (01/03/2016)
• THE EMBASSY OF SWEDEN IN HA NOI LAUNCHES A NATIONAL SMART WATER INNOVATION CONTEST AT HUNRE (27/02/2016)
• The World Resources Forum, Asia Pacific (05/05/2015)
• Prof.Dr. Catherine Mulligan visited and taught at the Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment (14/10/2014)