An advocate for the German language
(Profile from 2017)
Thomas Scheufler
Five continents – six regional ambassadors: Thi Thu Thao Nguyen from Vietnam wants to inspire high school students from her school to study at TU Dresden. She is one of more than 460 alumni worldwide who act as regional ambassadors for TU Dresden. Regional ambassadors make it easier for school students and lecturers in their home countries to get started at TUD, and are available to answer queries in advance.
First name: Thi Thu Thao
Surname: Nguyen
Graduating year: 2008
Degree program: Magister degree in German/Romance Studies
Current role: Assistant to the principal at The Olympia Schools Hanoi
Regional ambassador: Since 2008
Are you planning a stay in Vietnam? Then contact Thi Thu Thao Nguyen or other regional ambassadors in Vietnam.
KONTAKT online spoke to her about spontaneous decisions, "angels" at university and outdoor learning.
What did you study at TUD? Why did you decide to study at TU Dresden?
I pursued a degree in German Studies/German as a Foreign Language and Romance Studies/French Linguistics at TU Dresden from 2003 to 2008. I also attended courses in foundation medicine, sociology, political science, tourism economics and management, and architecture/architectural history over the course of several semesters as part of the studium generale. After attending the 2nd German education fair in Hanoi in December 2001, I had a poster from TU Dresden hanging above my bed for a year. It was love at first sight. My goal was clear, my decision was made: I wanted to study at TU Dresden. However, my German still wasn't very good at that point, so I didn't have all the information about TU Dresden at my fingertips from the outset.
Would you tell us an anecdote from your student days? What are your happiest memories? Where did you like to go in Dresden? What was your favorite place at university?
My studies were intense, to say the least. I completed all of my courses in seven semesters – plus the "wonderful" Latinum Latin exam. In the eighth semester, I took two oral and two written final exams in my two majors, and in the ninth semester, I wrote my dissertation. I can say that I studied with enormous enthusiasm that was regularly reignited by excellent teachers. I have fond memories of three semesters of my student days and of three lecture series by Prof. Ingo Kolboom, which I attended with my 89-year-old fellow student Irmgard Steglich. She was an angel sent by God to bring me a message: the thirst for knowledge has no age limit. I would like to thank all the lecturers I enjoyed visiting and bothering – Prof. Lieber, Ms. Hanig, Prof. Kolboom, Dr. Zeuner, Dr. Geiser...
My favorite place in Dresden was always on the banks of the Elbe – at the film nights, at concerts, or in one of the many beer gardens. In my free time, I often went to the Semperoper – to hear concerts or, even better, to watch ballet. My favorite place at university was the garden of my dorm, because I study best outside in the fresh air, under a tree. I just can't study well in enclosed spaces – not in the library nor in my room.
US election, Prof. Larry Berman
What are your links to TUD today? How do you use your TUD ties in your professional and personal network?
Through my work as a regional ambassador, I have regular contact with my former university. The Alumni Relations Office at TU Dresden organizes regular international alumni weeks, which I attend whenever possible. I find the workshops and training programs very helpful as I get to expand my network and expand on my knowledge and experience with different cultures and interesting people who, like me, are dedicated to their former university. TUD regional ambassador status helps me a lot in my current role. It builds confidence in communication with German institutions here in Vietnam, such as the DAAD, the Goethe-Institut and others, in conversations at my school with parents who would like to send their children to study in the EU, or when I am approached by school students, acquaintances or friends who are interested in studying in Germany.
Why did you become a TUD regional ambassador? Why is the role important to you?
I had many positive experiences in Dresden and received a lot of support and encouragement from my lecturers. In my current job, I can make full use of the knowledge and skills I acquired at TUD. I am especially grateful that my studies were free of charge. And now, I have the opportunity to give something back. Since graduating, I have always stayed in touch with the university and continue to build on my connections. That makes me very proud and happy. It means I can contribute to the university's good reputation abroad.
In conversation during the 2016 alumni week
How can you help researchers, students, and alumni of TUD who are interested in studying in your country? What have you already achieved in practical terms?
Even during my studies, I liked to pass on information to interested young people – mostly to school students in Vietnam and students in Dresden. I have continued on this path as a regional ambassador and have provided information about job opportunities and potential internships, for example. Anyone looking for information can easily reach me by email. I also took part in the international alumni weeks in Dresden in 2009, 2011, 2015, and 2016. On average, about five percent of the participating TUD students were interested in my country. At the last two events, the majority of those interested were students with Vietnamese and Asian backgrounds who had grown up in Germany.
Have you had the opportunity to promote TUD within your networks?
Yes, because part of my job is advising on studying in Europe and in Germany. When students come to me with questions, I'm happy to answer them – and I encourage them to start learning German as soon as they can. I just had a meeting with the mother of a 15-year-old school student who learned German at my school's German club last year and is now attending courses at the Goethe-Institut.
What else have you done along these lines?
I am in regular contact with other TUD regional ambassadors and also use my Facebook page to promote TUD.
What are your ideas and plans for the future as a regional ambassador? What suggestions, tips, and requests would you like to pass on to the Alumni Relations Office?
Information about opportunities to study in Dresden should be circulated at a very early stage – I am thinking in particular of collaboration at a school level. Professors from TU Dresden could visit schools in Vietnam where German is taught (PASCH schools) and share experiments and stories from their field of expertise, just like at the TUD Children's University. We regional ambassadors would be happy to provide guidance on which schools to contact. In addition, all collaborative projects with the TU Dresden should be better publicized locally; I am thinking here of the cleaning of Hoan Kiem Lake and the cooperative M.A. program at HUST in Hanoi (you do the M.A. program in car mechanics at HUST, and then at TU Dresden – at least that is my understanding). If you take a look at the Goethe-Institut Hanoi program for 2017, there are no courses connected with Dresden in any way – neither as a travel destination nor as a place to study.
Startup project with the Goethe-Institut
The annual TUD alumni week(s) should also be held in the regions where ambassadors operate – for example, in Hanoi for alumni in Southeast Asia. This would strengthen our position as regional ambassadors and improve opportunities for interregional cooperation between ASEAN and EU countries. And last but not least, the alumni week(s) should focus specifically on the internationalization of TUD. To that end, we need to attract more young minds with new ideas. I propose the following principle for the selection of attendees: There should always be only one experienced regional ambassador from each continent there, an "old hand;" all the others should be new regional ambassadors. The new regional ambassadors would prepare a brief concept beforehand in which they describe the objectives and plans they are pursuing. They would then discuss this amongst themselves and with the more experienced regional ambassadors.
Regional ambassadors could also help to promote start-up ideas – in two ways: Thao launches a competition for start-up projects for her school students in Hanoi. She then sends the best ideas to TU Dresden. Experts at TUD evaluate the proposals and pursue them with researchers and students as appropriate.
Contact:
Thi Thu Thao Nguyen
Country: Vietnam
Town/city: Hai Phong