Why did Bitexco decide to invest in the education sector?

I was born in a rural area and graduated from Hanoi Agricultural University. Later, as an entrepreneur, I participated a lot in industrial production as well as domestic and global trade; but no matter what I do, I want to contribute to the community and to the prosperous development of the country.

In the middle of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Vietnamese scholar Le Quy Don pointed out: "A country without agriculture is unstable. Without industry, it cannot be rich, without commerce, it cannot function and without education, it cannot flourish.” This is the same in any country, at any time.

I am especially interested in the fourth of the four things that Le Quy Don mentioned. Therefore, I always want to contribute to the development of education in Vietnam and globally, so that Vietnamese children and children from foreign families who come to Vietnam to work can study in the best possible education environment.

How did you cooperate with partners to build this school?

The younger generation will become talented leaders to change the world, so I want to bring out the best for them. I have searched and selected the best things of the world to bring back to Vietnam, for our children to enjoy. We have chosen the location for the school in Thanh Tri, Ha Noi, the hometown of the brilliant 14th-century teacher Chu Van An.

My partner Dwight agreed to let me choose the designers to build the greatest school in the world. I asked Architect Carlos Zapata (the creator of many great architectural works, which have been recognised as symbols to Vietnamese people and recognised worldwide, including the Bitexco Financial Tower and the JW Marriott Hanoi) and the entire design team of Bitexco Financial Tower and JW Marriott Hanoi returned to design the school. We worked so hard, and in a short time we had the design done

Why did you choose an international brand to develop instead of using your own brand?

From our experiences in other fields, we have found that it is better to combine the full power and global elite rather than to go it alone.

Dwight School is a global leader in International Baccalaureate (IB) School System implementation, with four holistic educational dimensions: Intellectual, Personal, Emotional and Soft Skills for children to develop the ability to study, to live and to work in a global environment. Dwight International School Hanoi will inherit the best educational programs and elite values from 150 years of history and development in education of Dwight to implement the most advanced educational programs for children from preschool to grade 12.

Building and developing the Dwight School, I do not put emphasis on profits. We aim to develop talents, serve the interests of educational development, and develop the younger generation. That's very important today when so many schools are focusing on financial gain.

Dwight International School Hanoi is expected to welcome students in the fourth quarter of 2023. — Photo Bitexco

What do you think about the Vietnamese education system at the moment and what will be the difference that Dwight Hanoi can bring?

The Vietnamese education system has gone through many centuries and has also achieved many good things. There are also many successful people in Vietnam. However, at this time, into the 21st century, the world changes, technology and lifestyle change and even education needs to be reformed. From the perspective of an entrepreneur who invests in the education system, we bring change and we manage that change for growth.

Dwight develops an educational program specifically for the next generation of global leaders through innovative educational methods. Mentors play an important role on campus, with personalised college orientation and strong social-emotional support. As a member of Dwight School's international network, students at Dwight School Hanoi will be able to participate in student exchanges and creative collaborations with friends around the world.

I believe that the students of this school will be happy and proud that they will become a global citizen. They will also be future leaders with kind hearts, brilliant minds and outstanding talents. Every young Vietnamese who grows up from our educational environment, will be nurtured with a spirit of national pride and a desire to serve the community and the country, as is the cultural tradition.

How do you feel when you see the school gradually taking shape?

I have put my whole heart, commitment, and reputation into the school and will be directly involved in the management of this school. I want to pass on my experiences, what I have done, even my unfinished dreams to the next generations.

I will accompany this school every day, in everything. I hope in the future, many talented students from the school will become scientists, intellectuals and managers, even national leaders, to continue to develop our country.

Many children of foreign diplomats or businessmen who come to Vietnam will study at our school, an elite school built by Vietnamese people. I hope that in the future, they will always remember that they succeeded from this place and will remember Ha Noi and Viet Nam. — VNS