SEMESTER STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM

ENTREPRENEURSHIP & SOCIAL INNOVATION (VIETNAM)

GEI CERTIFICATE IN GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT

A 16-credit certificate program to develop skills, knowledge, and understanding that prepare you for leadership and engagement in our global society.

AT A GLANCE

  • Certificate in Global Engagement Program
  • Disciplinary Track: Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation
  • Study Abroad Destination: Vietnam
  • Fall Semester Dates: Sep 1-Dec 13, 2025 (15 weeks)
  • Spring Semester Dates: Feb 2-May 16, 2026 (15 weeks)
  • Fall Semester Dates: Aug 31-Dec 12, 2026 (15 weeks)
  • Credit: 16 U.S. credit hours (~ 32 ECTS credits) for eligible university students
  • Eligibility: Any field and level of study

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PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Lead innovation and social change in Vietnam's emerging impact sector
Vietnam is fast becoming a regional leader in innovation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive development. This 15-week semester program offers students the chance to explore how social ventures, startups, and community organizations address pressing challenges through creativity, collaboration, and sustainability.

Based in Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho in the Mekong Delta, students engage with Vietnam’s rapidly evolving entrepreneurial ecosystem through coursework, immersive field experiences, and a team-based practicum. The program empowers students with the tools to design impactful solutions while fostering cross-cultural understanding and ethical leadership.
Program Highlights
  • Explore innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems in both urban and rural Vietnam
  • Participate in hands-on fieldwork and collaborative projects with Vietnamese partners
  • Develop Vietnamese language skills and cultural fluency through immersive learning
  • Gain practical experience in ethical leadership, systems thinking, and social design
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ACADEMICS

Program Structure
Students earn 16 U.S. academic credits across four courses, combining theoretical exploration, applied learning, and intercultural engagement. The program includes a foundational seminar, a field-based experience, a practicum project, and intensive Vietnamese language study.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the semester, students will be able to:
  • Understand and apply frameworks for ethical entrepreneurship and innovation
  • Collaborate effectively with Vietnamese professionals and community organizations
  • Communicate in basic Vietnamese for academic and social contexts
  • Demonstrate systems thinking, cultural humility, and cross-sector leadership
  • Curate a digital portfolio capturing applied learning and impact-driven projects
Further Details
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YOUR DESTINATION: VIETNAM

The Asian Dragon is undergoing some of the fastest socio-economic changes any country in the world has seen. It is a major development success story with remarkable rates of economic growth since the start of massive political and economic reforms in 1986. But the lure of modern living has a deep impact on the traditional networks of family and community that continue to play a pivotal role in society.

UNIQUE EXPERIENCES

Vietnam’s dual landscape of innovation
Students experience entrepreneurship across the industrial energy of Ho Chi Minh City and the grassroots ingenuity of the Mekong Delta. Site visits and expert panels provide insight into how Vietnamese innovators balance tradition, technology, and community resilience.

Applied learning with purpose
Through structured fieldwork and practicum projects, students contribute to real-world ventures working on issues like climate adaptation, social inclusion, digital access, and economic empowerment. Mentorship from local leaders supports deep, contextual learning.
Language and cultural immersion
Students engage in Vietnamese language study and participate in cultural activities such as local food experiences, family visits, traditional crafts workshops, and storytelling sessions with entrepreneurs and elders - building trust and cultural insight.

Leadership development through reflection
Weekly colloquiums offer space for ethical dialogue, leadership coaching, and systems reflection. Students leave with practical tools, expanded mindsets, and clarity on their role in shaping equitable, sustainable futures through innovation.
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HOUSING & MEALS

The program includes a minimum of 15 weeks in Vietnam. For this time, GEI Vietnam offers different housing options that students can choose from, pending availability. These include:
  • Homestays: Typically single rooms, with shared bathroom, and access to a kitchen and living room
  • Serviced apartments: Single or shared double rooms, with shared bathroom, and access to a kitchen and living room
  • University residence halls at our local partner universities: Shared double rooms, with shared bathroom and no kitchen facilities
  • Simple guesthouses: Shared double rooms, with shared bathroom and no kitchen facilities


Homestay host families typically provide breakfast and dinner. Students in serviced apartments, university residence halls, or guesthouses are usually responsible for all meals outside of core course meals.

You can find additional information in the following blog post: Accommodation – What to expect.

DATES, FEES, AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Program Dates

Application Due Date

Fees

Fall 2025 (15 weeks): Sep 1-Dec 13

Spring 2026 (15 weeks): Feb 2-May 16
Fall 2026 (15 weeks): Aug 31-Dec 12

Fall 2025: July 1

Spring 2026: Dec 1
Fall 2026: July 1

Fall 2025: US $17,450

Spring 2026: US $17,450
Fall 2026: US $17,450

At GEI, we strongly believe in equal access to academic opportunities in study abroad. In order to help eliminate financial barriers, we offer a variety of merit scholarships, trailblazer scholarships, and opportunity scholarships and grants, ranging from $500 to full tuition awards. Each year, GEI is awarding several hundred thousand dollars in scholarships. You can find further information as well as additional resources for external funding opportunities in the following blog post: Scholarships & Grants.

INSTRUCTORS & COORDINATORS

Meet our core team

All of our instructors and coordinators are highly experienced and resourceful professionals.
Waleed Fatth, MPH
Program Director
Francoise Uzamukunda, MA
Academic Director, East Africa
Thuy Phan, MA
Academic Director, Vietnam
Chone Chaowai, MIDP
Academic Director, Thailand
Kari Cousins, MA/MSc
Academic Director, Southern Africa
Yvan Rubengebenge
Operations Manager, Rwanda
Eric Kingoina, DCS
Operations Manager, Kenya
Dang Huynh, BA
Operations, Vietnam
Denyse Iradukunda, BA
Operations, Rwanda
Sammy Davies Mochama, BSc
Operations, Kenya
Mabwe Gwamure, BSc
Operations, South Africa

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