Exploring the Role of International Scholarships in Higher Education : A Qualitative Research on the Experiences of Vietnamese Recipients of the Korean Government Scholarship

2020년 8월

서울대학교 대학원

협동과정 글로벌교육협력 전공

정혜원(Hye-Won JUNG)

The purpose of this research is to examine the meaning of the experiences of

the Vietnamese recipients of the Korean government scholarship, Global

Korea Scholarship (GKS). This research was done to reveal the role of

international scholarships that help to improve access to overseas education

and help to promote social change. With the advent of the global knowledge

economy, the importance of higher education for economic and social

development has been highlighted, along with higher education being seen as

a public good. Accordingly, the role of international scholarships that enable

the opportunity for quality higher education is gaining significance. In

particular, this study looks at international scholarships in higher education as

a means of educational development. Indeed, in recent research, the role of

international scholarships that nurture individuals as change agents, who

contribute to wider positive social change, draws attention beyond the role to

raise human capital or facilitate access.

This study set university lecturers as the main research participants. Global

Korea Scholarship, as an international scholarship, provided Vietnamese

recipients with a chance to study in Korea where they could be equipped with

knowledge and skills to be university lecturers and the opportunity to feel

responsible and proud as government scholarship recipients. The research

participants did suffer from some difficulties such as academic burdens, lack

of support for international students, and language issues but did overcome

them and achieved advancements both personally and academically.

The advancement of individual scholarship recipients has also led to

changes in Vietnamese universities. As internationally educated lecturers, the

Vietnamese scholarship recipients are contributing to the development of

education and research in their universities at high-level positions. The

research participants, in addition, perceived responsibility in themselves for

the continued development of Vietnamese society. This responsibility notably

appeared as being a good example in Vietnamese society with academic

contributions, as well as further promoting good relationships between Korea

and Vietnam.

This study’s findings showed that positive social change can be eventually

realized through the agency of individual scholarship recipients and that

environmental conditions are crucial for the mobilization of overseasacquired knowledge and skills to scholarship recipients’ home countries.

Moreover, alumni networks and collective actions can catalyze further social

change. This study has the academic implication that qualitatively

understands the aspects of social change from international scholarships

through the role of the individual recipients and suggests the policy

implications of the GKS program.