Development of a networking model for internationalization of engineering universities and its implementation for the Russia-Vietnam partnership

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of approaches to developing a networking model in engineering education internationalization. The approaches were inspired by the activities of highly internationalized U.S. universities and the globalization experience of the U.S. companies. The model was applied to cooperation of a Russian university and its Vietnamese partners. The historical background of the relationship between the countries is given with statistical data including the number of students, PhDs and faculty academic exchanges for the past 5 years. This paper highlights the difficulties of international cooperation with far away universities arising from differences in mentality, culture, national values and priorities. A model to promote academic networking was drafted and tested with so called 'easy partners' - the ones who are eager to cooperate and ready for negotiations - prior to its use with more challenging relationships. A coordination center in the foreign country surfaced as a promising approach. Based on the historical analysis we concluded that these 'easy partners' could be found in Asia-Pacific region, and one of the countries is Vietnam. The first representative office in Vietnam by a Russian engineering university was successfully established in 2014. It marked a shift from regular approach to international cooperation towards coordinated networking with the partners abroad. The role of the representative office in Vietnam and its contribution to the enhancement of academic mobility is analyzed and evaluated in this paper. The model also includes academic networking engaging partners among educational institutions, industrial companies, ministries and administrative bodies. These links and personal relationships become the nodes of the network. This network and collaboration between the scientists is further strengthened through joint conferences and research funded by Russian and Vietnamese governments. We believe that the networking of engineering universities could also enhance the regional development of the countries as it complements the best practices of targeted education for industrial sector represented by the leading companies of Russia and Vietnam. The proposed model illustrates the concept of networking between engineering universities and promotes internationalization of engineering education.