CULTURAL ADAPTATION OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN VIETNAM꞉ CURRENT SITUATION, NEEDS, AND EMERGING ISSUES

Abstract

This
article
focuses
on
examining
the
process
of
cultural
adaptation
among
international
students
currently
 studying
 at
 Hanoi
 National
 University
 of
 Education,
 including
 students
 from
 various
 continents.
 Using
 a
 combination
of
qualitative
and
quantitative
methods,
the
article
concentrates
on
three
main
aspects꞉
(I)
The
 current
state
of
cultural
adaptation,
including
the
level
of
understanding
and
practice
of
Vietnamese
cultural
 values
and
norms;
(II)
Specific
needs
in
daily
life
such
as
communication,
cuisine,
religion,
language,
and
the
 need
for
psychosocial
support;
(III)
Persistent
issues
include
intercultural
discontinuities,
experiences
of
cultural
 dissonance,
 and
 feelings
 of
 marginalization
 or
 social
 isolation
 within
 the
 host
 environment.
 Based
 on
 the
 analysis
results,
the
article
identifies
problems
on
the
part
of
the
international
students
and
simultaneously
offers
 recommendations
 for
 proactive
 measures
 from
 educational
 institutions
 to
 enhance
 cultural
 acceptance
 and
 create
the
best
possible
learning
and
experiential
environment
for
international
students.
The
study
contributes
to
 informing
policy
discussions
on
the
reception
and
support
of
international
students
in
ways
that
are
responsive
to
 Vietnam's
specific
socio‑cultural
context.