SEMESTER STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (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: Sustainable Development
  • 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

Tackle sustainability challenges in Vietnam's fast-changing landscape
Vietnam offers a compelling setting for immersive sustainability study - where rapid urbanization, rich biodiversity, traditional knowledge systems, and grassroots innovation intersect. This 15-week semester program invites students to explore real-world sustainability issues across urban and rural Vietnam through integrated coursework, field placements, and intercultural collaboration.

Based in both Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho in the Mekong Delta, students gain hands-on experience addressing environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Whether you’re passionate about climate change, food systems, sustainable livelihoods, or environmental justice, this program offers an opportunity to learn, contribute, and grow in one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic development contexts.
Program Highlights
  • Study pressing sustainability topics including water, agriculture, energy, climate, and social equity
  • Engage in field placements and collaborative projects with Vietnamese community partners
  • Develop Vietnamese language and intercultural skills through immersive experiences
  • Build systems thinking and leadership competencies for real-world global impact
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ACADEMICS

Program Structure
The semester program awards 16 U.S. academic credits across four integrated courses. The program begins with academic foundations in sustainability and cross-cultural learning, progresses through immersive fieldwork, and culminates in a project-based practicum with a local partner organization.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the semester, students will be able to:
  • Evaluate sustainability challenges using cross-cultural and interdisciplinary frameworks
  • Apply systems thinking and collaborative problem-solving to real-world sustainability issues
  • Communicate effectively with local partners and stakeholders in Vietnam
  • Demonstrate functional Vietnamese language skills for academic and professional engagement
  • Create a digital portfolio showcasing applied knowledge, leadership, and global learning
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 landscapes of development
Students explore both urban and rural dimensions of sustainability in Vietnam. From the industrial growth of Ho Chi Minh City to the ecological richness and climate vulnerability of the Mekong Delta, students gain context-rich understanding of how sustainability is practiced and contested.

Hands-on learning with local changemakers
Field placements and practicum work place students in direct collaboration with Vietnamese NGOs, eco-businesses, cooperatives, or community groups. Students learn from and contribute to real-world sustainability initiatives - bridging theory and practice.
Cultural immersion and language learning
Intensive Vietnamese instruction is complemented by daily language exposure, community visits, cultural workshops, and storytelling sessions. These activities help students build trust, empathy, and cross-cultural communication skills.

Ethical engagement and reflective growth
Students engage in weekly colloquiums to explore ethical leadership, systems thinking, and global responsibility. Through structured mentorship and reflection, they connect their academic and field experiences to broader personal and professional development goals.
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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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