STEM Education in Vietnam: Examining the Impact of an Internationally Transferred Educational Approach

Aimed at advancing our understanding of educational transfer (a cross-national phenomenon wherein an foreign educational practice or policy is transferred from abroad), this paper examines how international transfer of STEM has impacted Vietnamese science education. To this end, we conducted a comprehensive review of recent research and educational policy on STEM education in Vietnam. It is reported that international transfer of STEM education to Vietnam has produced both benefits and challenges. Key benefits include student excitement and joy, increased community engagement in school activities, enhanced public awareness of education, instruction with a stronger emphasis on practical and applied learning, and a curriculum with stronger societal connections that encourages student creativity, and innovation, critical thinking, and teamwork. However, challenges have also arisen. Important complications include limited financial resources and infrastructure, lack of teacher preparation and training, time constraints, and pressure to ensure students perform well on standardized examinations. Based on these findings, it is argued that educational transfers are inevitably risky, being characterized by strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Educators need to reflectively and critically assess the opportunities and risks associated with transferring practices such as STEM from abroad (i.e., learn from other countries’ educational experiences rather than borrow from them).