What do you think? Should we study/work abroad for a year or so in order to develop ourselves?

Well, who can assure that studying in your home country is always a success too? Risks are there to face all the time! If the study expense falls on your budget, yeah, think twice as it's big investment. But if you stand any chance of a grant (even partial), why not?

Hi, I think that the problem is not about should or should not. It is about HOW and WHEN. I believe that one should answer the following questions when considering going abroad for self-development.

1. Can you MAXIMALLY achieve your goals AS PLANNED without going abroad? (Need). Well, sometimes, it is difficult to choose between "good" and "better". Therefore I emphasise "MAXIMALLY" and "AS PLANNED". My advice is that unless the answer is a big YES, otherwise you should go. Once you make your decision, GO GO! Do not think twice.

2. What are the goals of your trip? (Purpose) Determine the goals before you go. If you do not plan to stay abroad forever, plan carefully. Go and come back quickly.

Keep in mind: Time goes fast. Whatever you think you should do, do it as quickly as you can. In this case, there is always a trade-off: the longer you stay abroad, the MORE "international" knowledge/experience and the LESS "Vietnamese" knowledge/experience you gain. Which one is more important to you?

NAT.

Rosie,
I think it comes down to what you want to do/achieve in life/career.
Comparing the quality/style of higher education, Indonesia and Vietnam are similar, that in university there's a lot of memorizing involved as compared to university in US or Europe which is less memorizing but more comprehension. But it doesn't mean that local universities are inferior to western universities, it's just a different approach that we need to balance with our own activities. Nothing is stopping you to attend seminars or workshops to further develop yourself in areas which are not covered by university classes.

My advice to students preparing to enter university always comes down to in what field do you want to build your career? Is it something which you can prepare for in local university or is it so specific that you can only find it abroad. For example: if you want to enter the financial services sector, better to study in Vietnam because you'd be better able to learn about the local economy, its business nuances, and linkages with abroad. Adversely, if you want to be a bio-engineer, then it's probably better to study abroad as they're more up to date, and try to get a job abroad where this field is actually applied.

Personally, if you want to build a career in Vietnam, then i think it's better to get your bachelor's degree in Vietnam, because you can build up your network. Work for 2-3 years, before taking your master's degree abroad, to deepen your knowledge and since there are many case studies in a master's program, you have your own working experience as a reference point. You will most likely get more out of a master's program than someone who goes straight from their bachelor's degree.

Whether you choose to go to university in vietnam or abroad, make sure to balance your formal education with informal activities like seminars and workshops in topics/areas which will better prepare you to enter the workforce.

As an employer, when hiring fresh graduates, i like to balance between book smart and street smart. Your university degree is a decent indicator of how book smart you are. Your extra curricular activities, especially seminars, workshops, student organizations, are a decent indicator of how street smart you are. The interview, and balancing between how book smart/street smart you are from your resume, will determine whether you get hired or not.

Hope this helps.

say...YES, you should..!:)

Mr. Bimo Notowidigdo

First of all, I would like to thank you for your consideration and your giving helpful advice.

I highly appreciate what you said in the second paragraph. My plan is that after working 3 or 4 years in a PR agency, I will study abroad for about 2 years in Hospitality, then I will come back, working in PR department in a hotel. The reason why I will be doing a degree in Hospitality is that I have a goal to building up hotels in my home country. Hotels are always what appeal to me the most.

Also, I think that no matter how much it takes, as long as I am sure of what to do and what I need, I will study, learn and get. Sometimes I wonder whether anybody goes this way that I chose for myself, but it does not matter since I figure out what I have a desire to do and all I need to do is to following my passion.

Your advice does help me a lot. Thank you one more time.