Closing Ceremony of VLU Summer Camp 2023: A meaningful Summer Experience at Van Lang University

After two months, the first group of high school students participating in the VLU Summer Camp program - A credit conversion course organized by Van Lang University, have officially finished.

VLU Summer Camp is a new program organized by Van Lang University for 10th and 11th-grade high school students in Ho Chi Minh City, based on the university credit conversion courses, commonly applied in advanced education systems in European and American countries. From June 24 to August 6, 2023, students could choose 1-2 subjects out of 5 to study in advance: Global Citizenship Skills, Design Thinking and Creativity for Innovation, Dance, Swimming, and Chess. Information and scores from this learning process will be accumulated and converted to credits if high school students enroll in VLU’s majors in the future. All these courses are offered free of charge.

The closing ceremony is a time to reflect on the summer-long learning journey, reward individuals who have completed and excelled throughout the course. The program was attended by the VLU’s administrators and representatives from high schools with students participating in the VLU Summer Camp 2023.

The first credit conversion course, VLU Summer Camp 2023, concluded with 122 students, of which 87 students qualified for credit conversion certificates. During the ceremony, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi My Dieu, the President of Van Lang University, expressed her gratitude to the students who chose and dedicated themselves to the course throughout the two summer months. Based on feedback from lecturers and student projects, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi My Dieu highly praised the students' critical thinking abilities, responsibility, independence, eagerness to learn in studies and teamwork.

To summarize the learning journey and capture valuable moments between lecturers and students, Van Lang University organized a photo exhibition where students and guests could look back on the activities of this year's classes.

In the courses on Global Citizenship Skills and Design Thinking and Creativity for Innovation, students were guided to implement 13 projects aimed at 17 sustainable development goals of the United Nations, providing valuable benefits to the community. Through creativity, connections, and social responsibility, students carried out various meaningful projects, such as sustainable fashion materials, recycling used items and materials to protect the environment, raising awareness about the LGBT community, sharing a more accurate, open-minded, and objective view on gender-neutral fashion, improving English writing skills, sharing stress relief methods for students, promoting the benefits of a healthy breakfast for young people, promoting school violence prevention, etc.

With the goal of bringing laughter and love to underprivileged children, a group of 10 students from the course of Design Thinking and Creativity for Innovation 2 worked together on the project "Sharing Meals and Clothing." They fundraised to support children at Ky Quang 2 Pagoda (District 12, Ho Chi Minh City). On August 3, 2023, the group donated to the pagoda nearly 150 notebooks, over 200 other school supplies including textbooks, stationery, coloring materials, along with 2 boxes of milk and 20 packs of snacks for the children. MSc. Nguyen Thi Hoa, who directly guided the students, commented: "This project is meaningful and highly practical. Although done in a hurry and not widely promoted, the group showed unity and teamwork throughout the process. All reports and evidence from the group were refined based on the class feedback." Receiving the highest number of votes from guests and other students, the "Carrot Yogurt” group's project "Sharing Meals and Clothing" won the most Favorite Project award.

MSc. Hoang Duc Thinh - Vice President of Tran Van Giau High School expressed his gratitude: "Thank you to Van Lang University for providing the opportunity for high school students to experience being university students. VLU Summer Camp helps these students broaden their thinking and knowledge. At the same time, this is also a special opportunity for high school students in the city to have a meaningful activity this summer."

Congratulations to the students on completing the course and receiving credit conversion certificates. VLU Summer Camp not only serves as a meaningful gift emotionally, offering special summer memories for participants, but it will also be an opportunity for those planning to enroll at Van Lang University in the coming years, helping them save time and university costs.

News: Phuong Truc
Photos: Chi Thien - Dac Khanh