With the motto "Success for All," QSI International School of Haiphong (QSI Haiphong) has become a leading school in Hai Phong City that offers a high-quality education model which appeals to international corporations seeking to invest in the city. Vietnam Business Forum’s reporter had an interview with Ms. Cathleen Hannifin, the Director of QSI Haiphong.
Could you please tell us how you feel about working in Hai Phong City and in Vietnam?
In 2020, I was assigned to manage the QSI International School of Hai Phong. This is the third school I have been with in the QSI (Quality Schools International) family. I have also worked at QSI schools in both China and Germany. When I moved to Hai Phong, both Vietnam and the world were confronting the COVID-19 pandemic.
Throughout 2021 and early 2022, pandemic developments affected life in Hai Phong as well as QSI's operations.
However, with the care and support of the community, I was always confident about the health and safety of the students and staff of QSI as well as our ability to provide a rigorous education despite the lockdowns and bouts of online learning. The government of Vietnam and Hai Phong adopted effective strategies and solutions for Covid prevention and control. As a result, QSI quickly returned to the “new normal.”
After work, I enjoy exploring the city by motorbike. Hai Phong is a smaller city which makes it easy to navigate. With Doson, Cat Ba, and Ha Long Bay nearby, there are plenty of interesting areas to explore. The city clearly has an eye on the future and is investing in infrastructure that will ensure the city remains accessible even as it grows.
I find the people of Hai Phong to be hospitable and friendly, the cuisine diverse and delicious, and the atmosphere comfortable and engaging.
I have visited many other cities of Vietnam such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, and Hoi An. All are unique and enjoyable. For me, Hai Phong is a great place to live and work.
QSI Haiphong International School has affirmed its position as a top-quality school in the city. Would you be kind enough to briefly introduce the school to us?
QSI is a private, non-profit educational facility, established in September 2005. The school provides 100% of teaching and learning programs in English for children of foreign businesspeople in Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Hai Duong, and other localities.
The school provides education at four levels: preschool, elementary, middle-school, and high-school. To facilitate teacher-student interaction, we keep our class sizes small. In elementary school, each class has a maximum of 21 students, though we average class sizes of 13 students.
QSI is staffed by excellent, native-English teachers and has spacious facilities with bright, modern classrooms, multiple libraries, a science laboratory, music rooms, a black box theatre, multipurpose rooms, and a canteen. It also has up-to-date curriculum material and technology available in all classrooms for students and teachers.
As we have expanded in both size and population, QSI Hai Phong has made a conscious effort to put purposeful thought into each building. From the openness of each classroom to the natural space and outdoor yard, we strive to create a comfortable, relaxing feeling for children to study and have fun as well.
Our educational motto, “Success for All” is built on the belief that every student can be successful. We believe that success breeds success and it is our responsibility, as educators, to provide conditions for success to our students.
What are the strengths and differences of the QSI educational model? For you, what is the greatest success of the school?
QSI's curricula are based on American standards, which are accredited through the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA). Upon graduation, students will be awarded a diploma that is recognized throughout the world and can attend university in any country.
In addition, QSI regularly conducts performance-based assessments to make sure that all students are taught at an appropriate level that is both difficult and achievable. The QSI Hai Phong secondary school program prides itself on offering Advanced Placement (AP) courses, International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, and mainstream education courses.
The goal of QSI is to deliver a tailored education to each student. We believe in the educational philosophy of mastery learning, that each student can succeed. In order to make that belief a reality, we provide scaffolds to help students reach their greatest potential. QSI hires expert teachers who love education and are always ready to advise and support students with issues with academics, social/emotional needs, and life in general.
QSI Hai Phong started with only a few staff members and students. We now have dozens of excellent teachers from around the world and enroll nearly 220 students from over 20 different nationalities. In Hai Phong, we are the first choice of families who want their children to thrive in an English-speaking environment.
In my opinion, this is the biggest success of QSI 17 years after establishment.
Hai Phong City is attracting investment capital from many foreign corporations, and this means the demand for education of international standards will also increase as a result. What do you think about the response of QSI Haiphong in the coming years?
QSI Hai Phong was established to serve international students who move to Hai Phong with their parents. We also have seats available for motivated Vietnamese students who seek a rigorous, English-language based education.
As Hai Phong City is attracting many large foreign businesses and investors, QSI Hai Phong can completely meet increasing educational needs of international standards.
With the help of QSI International, we continue to attract high quality teaching staff from around the world. As we look with an eye to the future, we have plans to continue to expand and upgrade our facilities. Currently, QSI is working with relevant agencies of Hai Phong City make this expansion a reality.
How do you assess the support and facilitation of Hai Phong authorities for QSI operations?
As I mentioned, the enthusiastic support of the Hai Phong government has helped QSI develop into what it is today.
Through its programs and activities, QSI Hai Phong wants to help the city provide a world-class education, making the city more attractive to families, companies, and investment flows.
Thank you very much!
Source: Vietnam Business Forum
Vietnamese
October 2024
Hanoi