Culture in Conversation: A Vietnamese Perspective Meets Student Experience

Across the sessions, Nguyen presented on key cultural aspects of Vietnam, connecting her insights directly to concepts the students had already covered in class — from communication styles to social values and everyday customs. Ms Eileen Küpper from the Language centre, who runs the course, commented “Her presentation gave students a chance to see theoretical frameworks come to life through concrete, real-world examples.”

The visit also became a lively two-way exchange: several students had previously travelled to Vietnam themselves and were eager to share their own experiences and impressions, prompting rich discussion and comparison between what they'd observed and what Nguyen presented.

A lively Q&A session followed, touching on topics ranging from safety for solo female travellers to daily life and business culture in Vietnam. Many questions also turned to the practicalities of studying in Vietnam itself, reflecting genuine interest among the students in the idea of a semester abroad. At her university, Nguyen works for the International Office and so she took the opportunity to encourage the group to consider a semester abroad in Vietnam — highlighting the academic and personal benefits of studying there and offering a first point of contact for anyone interested in taking the next step.

Visits like this one are a valuable complement to classroom learning, offering Business Psychology students a direct, personal connection to the cultures they study — and, for some, perhaps the first spark of an idea for their own semester abroad.

The exchange continued beyond the classroom, when Nguyen and colleagues from the Language Centre carried on the conversation over dinner and a walk in Schloss Brühl gardens, offering a relaxed setting to deepen ties between the two universities and explore possibilities for future collaboration.