SUMMER INTERN ABROAD PROGRAM

ENTREPRENEURSHIP & SOCIAL INNOVATION (VIETNAM)

GLOBAL PRACTICUM

A 4-credit global practicum to develop skills, knowledge, and understanding that prepare you for leadership and engagement in our global society.

AT A GLANCE

  • Global Practicum Program
  • Disciplinary Track: Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation
  • Intern Abroad Destination: Vietnam
  • 2026 Dates: June 27-July 24 (4 weeks)
  • Credit: 4 U.S. credit hours (~ 8 ECTS credits) for eligible university students
  • Eligibility: Any field and level of study

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PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Turn insight into action in Vietnam's social innovation sector
In this intensive 4-week practicum, students collaborate with Vietnamese organizations to design and implement entrepreneurial solutions to real-world challenges. Set in both bustling Ho Chi Minh City and the culturally rich Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, this program offers a unique blend of professional experience, cultural immersion, and ethical leadership development.

Through hands-on project work, students contribute directly to social ventures focused on areas like sustainability, public health, inclusive education, or rural development. The program fosters critical reflection, strategic thinking, and cross-cultural communication - making it ideal for students seeking to expand their global impact and professional readiness.
Program Highlights
  • Field-based placements with Vietnamese social enterprises, startups, or NGOs
  • Cross-cultural teamwork with local peers and guidance from experienced mentors
  • Weekly colloquiums to support learning integration and ethical reflection
  • Real-world impact through applied innovation and professional collaboration
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ACADEMICS

Program Structure
This 4-week summer program includes one intensive course: a Global Practicum in Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation. Students are placed in small groups and matched with a Vietnamese host organization, where they contribute to an innovation-driven project aligned with both their interests and the host's strategic needs.

The program begins with orientation and introduction to Vietnam’s entrepreneurial landscape, followed by project-based work and weekly colloquiums focused on reflection, intercultural learning, and professional development. The practicum culminates in a final group presentation and a comprehensive project report.
Learning Outcomes
By completing this program, students will be able to:
  • Apply core principles of entrepreneurship and social innovation in a practical setting
  • Collaborate effectively with Vietnamese peers, mentors, and professionals
  • Navigate cross-cultural communication and leadership in a real-world team environment
  • Reflect on values, ethics, and systems shaping global social impact
  • Build a digital portfolio demonstrating applied skills and global competencies
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

Real-world impact in diverse settings
Working with Vietnamese social ventures across two locations - fast-paced Ho Chi Minh City and the more grassroots-focused Can Tho - students gain a unique perspective on entrepreneurship in both urban and community settings. Each practicum is tailored to students’ interests and host needs, ensuring relevant and meaningful engagement.

Cultural exploration & local insight
Students dive into Vietnamese culture through language learning, food experiences, community storytelling, and site visits to innovation hubs and social enterprises. Activities may include a Mekong Delta river tour, cooking classes, visits to local cooperatives, or discussions with local entrepreneurs about values-driven leadership in a Vietnamese context.
Professional mentorship & peer collaboration
Throughout the program, students collaborate with Vietnamese university peers and receive guidance from local mentors. These interactions help students navigate intercultural teamwork, build networks, and develop professional confidence in a global setting.

Structured reflection for ethical growth
Weekly colloquiums offer space to pause, reflect, and process the complexity of fieldwork. Students explore questions around global equity, cultural humility, and leadership ethics - emerging with deeper self-awareness and readiness to lead change in diverse global contexts.


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HOUSING & MEALS

The program includes 4 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

Summer 2026 (4 weeks): June 27-July 24

Summe 2026: April 1

Summer 2026: US $3,950 (4 weeks)

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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