Wittenborg Representative Meets with Student Agencies in Vietnam

05.05.2022

Michael Sheppard Working to Strengthen Bonds

Since 16 April, Wittenborg’s visiting lecturer and Sales & Admissions Representative Michael Sheppard is in Vietnam, meeting with local student agencies with the goal of strengthening existing partnerships and establishing new relationships. Throughout his assignment, Sheppard has spent eight days in Ho Chi Minh City and four days in Da Nang. Currently, he is in the capital Hanoi, where he will conclude his assignment on Friday, 6 May.

According to the representative, each meeting has been unique. “Wittenborg has worked with some of these agencies for a long time and they have sent us many students, so their knowledge of the school is very strong. When meeting with these partners, I have been talking about the success of the relationship so far and what we can do to make it even more successful in the future. At the other end of the spectrum, some organisations do not yet have a thorough knowledge of Wittenborg, so I have been talking about our courses, advantages, unique selling points and what makes the school special,” he said.

Apart from meeting with student agencies, Sheppard has participated in events where he has given presentations about Wittenborg to Vietnamese students. During these sessions, he has also talked about life in the Netherlands and in Europe in general. “The students ask many questions about what it is like to live in the Netherlands, what Dutch people are like, how many Vietnamese students are already there, because they want a picture of what their life at Wittenborg will be like. These people are very motivated about the idea of studying abroad, not just because they want a strong education, but also because they desire a wider knowledge of the world and to have a new perspective on things.”

Sheppard says that he is grateful for the opportunity and proud to represent Wittenborg, adding that this is his first visit to East Asia and he really enjoys being there. “Every single meeting with the agencies has been very valuable and the Vietnamese people are incredibly friendly and welcoming; they treat you like a close friend as soon as you meet them. On top of that, they are really interested in Wittenborg and engaged in the discussion, so we have got some great outcomes and things to plan for the future as well.”