OVERVIEW
Luong Van Can Fund (LVCF) was established as a non-governmental, non-profit organisation under Decision no: 4561-QD-UBND dated 12 September 2014 by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee. On the 10th of April 2015, the Fund officially announced its establishment and publicized its philanthropic activities.
LVCF aims to develop a new generation of highly skilled professionals beneficial for Vietnam’s social and economic growth. Through its fundraising efforts, LVCF endeavors to provide post-graduate scholarships for outstanding Vietnamese students to study in countries with world-class educational systems. Furthermore, the Fund will dedicate a portion of its budget to the provision of scholarships for students with disabilities, students with lower-income backgrounds, and students that live in isolated areas to pursue higher education within the country.
The advisors of the Fund consist of scholars and experts in the field of academic who share the objective of to nurture young talent. The main sources of funding consist of corporations operating within Vietnam, individuals from both in and outside the country, as well as scholarships and tuition waivers granted by both national and international universities.
The Fund is named after Luong Van Can, a Confucian scholar, who acknowledged the perils of root learning and the prevalent examination-oriented education system. This motivated Luong Van Can to dedicate himself to the propagation of revolutionary ideas and the development of the people’s intellectual standards in his efforts to bring prosperity to the people and strengthen the nation. In addition to his role as a teacher, Luong Van Can was also a savvy businessman. His book, entitled “Kim co Cach ngon’ (Maxims for All Ages), discusses “the morality of wealth creation” for Vietnamese people, asserting that businesses should be run with virtue, integrity and morality and that “honesty is the secret of success for any business person”.
Some remarkable milestones of LVCF since its establishment:
- 2014: being established
- 09/2015: awarded the first 70 undergraduate scholarships for students within the country.
- 09/2017: awarded the first postgraduate scholarship for students pursuing education abroad.
- 09/2017: started to awarded postgraduate scholarships for students attending domestic universities.
- 10/2017: synchronously implemented company tours, mentorship and training programs throughout the school year.
- 05/2018: opened for online scholarship application.
VISION
To raise / develop a skillful and competent work force committing to contributing to the community, meeting the country’s developmental needs, and creating positive changes in the society.
MISSION
Supports and enables young, motivated Vietnamese who wish to contribute to the society, in achieving comprehensive personal development during their higher education (either at undergraduate and graduate levels).The Fund works with its partners including government agencies, organizations, companies, schools and individuals to grant scholarships for qualified students to pursue their study in Vietnam and overseas, as well as to provide skill-based training, mindset training, and development orientation.
VALUES
Integrity and transparency.
The activities of , including selection procedures, sponsorships and collaborative efforts with our partners, will be publicized on our website.
When necessary, international volunteers and representatives from major sponsors will be invited to oversee the activities of the Fund.
Luong Van Can, also known as “On Nhu”, was born in the Year of the Tiger (1854) in Nhi Khe village, Thuong Tin District, Ha Dong Province (now Hanoi City).
At the age of 21, he received his Bachelor’s Degree and in the following year was offered a teaching position at Hoai Duc District Education Office by the feudatory government, but he refused the offer. Similarly, he declined an offer extended by the French colonial authorities to join the Hanoi City Council as a member, choosing instead to spend his life working as a private teacher at home.
As a Confucian scholar, he soon realised the perils of root learning and the prevalent examination-oriented education system. This motivated Luong Van Can to dedicate himself to the propagation of revolutionary ideas and the development of the people’s intellectual standards in his efforts to bring prosperity to the people and strengthen the nation. In 1907, together with his friend Nguyen Quyen and a number of modernist Confucian scholars, he established the Dong Kinh Private School and served as its headmaster.
In addition to his role as a teacher, Luong Van Can was also a savvy businessman. In his book, entitled “Thuong hoc phuong cham” (Proverbs in Business), Luong Van Can outlined the dismal state of the country’s economy. He identified that the domestic economy suffered from a deficiency of merchandise and organized trade, a lack of practicality and an absence of respect for trade. He believed that Vietnamese businesses should be run with virtue, integrity and morality and that “honesty is the secret of success for any businessperson”, a belief that is outlined in his book entitled “Kim co Cach ngon” (Maxims for All Ages), one that is widely utilized as a business reference book.
Today, millions of people do business in Vietnam, bringing countless products – many unique and valuable to Vietnam – to the world market and thereby contributing to national economic growth. Nevertheless, many in the business community continue to operate their businesses purely for profit: compromising their integrity, risking proper quality standards and disregarding social responsibility. Not only does this adversely affect the domestic business environment, these behaviors also set a bad example for the Vietnamese youth.
Consequently, Luong Van Can Fund was founded in the spirit of the scholar Luong Van Can, with the goal of developing a new generation of highly skilled professionals, who will make positive contributions to Vietnam’s economic growth with their talents and dedication.
Management Council
Mr. Nguyen Viet Chi
Chairman
CEO of Viet Chi Hung Real Estate JSC
Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan Hong
Vice Chairwoman
Lecturer at Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine
Ms. Pham Thuy Tien
Member
Former President of Luong Van Can Fund
Management Board
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thao
President
Advisory Board
Dr. David Beanland
Emeritus Professor
Former Vice-Chancellor of RMIT University Australia (1999-2000)
Former President of RMIT International University VN (2000-2004)
Dr. Michael Mann
Chancellor of Torrens University Australia
Former Australian Ambassador to Vietnam
Founding President of RMIT International University VN
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hoang
Chairman of Norfolk Group
In addition to financial assistance with tuition and recurring living expenses, Luong Van Can Fund also frequently organises activities to enhance the potentials of the scholars.
English classes: targets at students yet achieve good English commands (equivalent to IELTS level of 6.5 or below). This is a mandatory program in the scholarship package, in which the scholarship recipients are given designed courses according to their current English level, studying at English language centers partnering with the Fund.
Skill training sessions: Luong Van Can Fund organizes soft skill training courses for students on a monthly basis with prestigious speakers who are experts in their own fields. The scope of the training programs covers skills such as leadership, design thinking, reasoning, personal financial management, emotional balancing, project management, professionalism, self-learning, self-understanding, conflict resolution, mock interviews, etc. It not only equips students with necessary skills for the job market but also plays a vital role in students’ personal development.
Mentorship Program: depending on the major, LVC students will be connected with mentors who are professionals and experts in many different fields and companies, with a view to facilitating students with career guidance and advice regarding their own problems.
Community projects: are carried out by Luong Van Can students, under the guidance from their mentors. The projects are launched with a view to give the scholars a chance to assist disadvantaged people in the community, thus spreading the “Pay it forward” spirit, contributing to communal life even if they may have the least resources. This is also an opportunity for students to apply their expertise and skills into practices. After years of initiation, many projects from different fields (health, environment, education, etc.) have been implemented, bringing remarkable values to their beneficiaries.
Company tours: This is an activity in which students partake to visit various enterprises partnering with Luong Van Can Fund. It enables scholarship recipients to forecast the current demands from the job market as well as get an insight into the core values that are cherished by many corporations.Some businesses that have worked with Fund students include: Unilever Vietnam, KPMG, Galaxy Group, Acecook Vietnam, Kerry Express, Vietnam – Singapore Industrial Park, Yakult Factory, Officience Informatics Company, Giao Hang Nhanh, etc.
“The Change Agent” Competition is organized and operated by Luong Van Can students. The aim of the event is to seek youngsters with solutions to existing social problems and to implement feasible ideas into managing current issues, under sponsorship packages from businesses with commitment to community development.
Activities within the students’ clubs range from sharings with alumni, English club, sports day, book exchange, etc, all of which are organized by Luong Van Can students.
