UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Faculty members with the Penn State School of Hospitality Management traveled to Vietnam in May as part of a curriculum partnership with Duy Tan University.
Jeff Heim, senior instructor in hospitality management, and Ruth Ann Jackson, instructor in hospitality management and director of the Penn State Hospitality Leadership Institute, spent 10 days in Da Nang, Vietnam, as part of the Train the Trainer program, a four-year agreement between the universities.
The overarching goal is to demonstrate for the Vietnamese faculty how Penn State delivers hospitality curriculum with a management emphasis. Duy Tan University faculty members want to improve hospitality and tourism curriculum to address an anticipated growth in international tourism.
"I was extremely impressed by the level of effort and passion for hospitality of the students and faculty at Duy Tan University,” Jackson said. “Tourism in Vietnam, and Da Nang in particular, is booming, providing many opportunities for rewarding careers.”
Jackson and Heim believe their time spent working with Duy Tan University faculty members ultimately shapes them into better instructors for Penn State students.
"Lecturing and teaching through a translator compelled me to choose my words more carefully, and to take more time explaining concepts,” Heim said. “It also made me rethink my assumptions about what students already understand coming into the class. Consequently, I am more thoughtful in my discussions, lectures and preparation for my classes at Penn State. Overall, this was an incredibly enriching experience, which will make me a better and more engaging teacher at Penn State."
Last year, faculty members from Duy Tan University studied at University Park. Next year, Penn State faculty will return to Vietnam. In 2018, the Vietnamese faculty will return to University Park.
The agreement with Duy Tan University was developed with support from Duy Tan University; the Outreach Office in the College of Health and Human Development at Penn State; and Penn State’s Office of Global Programs.