The document discusses the growth of student clubs at Hanoi Foreign Trade University from 1 club in 1993 to 32 clubs in 2014, compared to 277 clubs at the University of New South Wales. It also provides a table comparing the number of undergraduate students, registered clubs, and resulting student-club ratios at various universities worldwide. The document proposes that increasing student clubs can provide benefits to students such as networking, social skills, professional experience, and leadership skills. It recommends conducting more domestic research on student clubs, strengthening the student affairs profession, and learning from successful club models and international opportunities.

1. +
Active student clubs for
better Universities?
– A bottom-up approach.
Kim Ngoc Minh, M.Ed.

2. +
Students’ voice/role in education reform?
Image source:
http://allthingslearning.wordpress.com/tag/ivory-tower/
and
http://tgimdigitalpublishing.files.wordpress.com/2011
/03/clipart_of_16339_sm_2_8.jpg

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From an “inside observer”
Hanoi Foreign Trade University:
 1993- 1999: 1 Student Club (YRC)
 2000: 2 Student Clubs (YRC + TEC)
 2014: 32 Student Clubs.
The University of New South Wales (Australia):
277 Student Clubs/Societies.

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32 Student Clubs at FTU Hanoi
(Nguyen, 2013)

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Clubs Index: Student - Club Ratio
(Source: USNews and Universities’ websites)
University/College Undergraduate
Students
Registered
Clubs/Orgs
Ratio
Cambridge (UK) 11878 383 31
MSU (US) 37988 600 63
Williams (US) 2052 150 14
Tsinghua (CN) 15184 110 138
NUS (SG) 27391 117 234
UNSW (AUS) 31695 277 114
VNU (HN - VN) 23626 47 503
FTU (HN - VN) 10000 32 313
FPT (HN – VN) 5205 55 95

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Research Questions
 Why?
 Harming academic success? (No, reverse: Hegedus,C. & Knight,J ., 2002)
 Students’ benefit?
 Networking
 Social Skills
 Professional Experience
 Leadership Skills
 Friendships and Fun (Fisher, E. ,2013)

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Recommendation
 How?
 More domestic-based researches.
 Profession strengthening and field advocacy.
 Approach more network opportunities & Learn from success stories.

8. + More domestic-based researches.
Student Clubs Model
Green Economy Club (Academy of
Finance)
Young Lawyer Club(VNU)
Tomorrow Entrepreneurs Club (FTU)
Staturday Club(Vietnam Academy of
Military Medical)
(Viet Nam National Union of Students, 2013)

9. + Profession strengthening and field advocacy.
Student affairs and services functions in
higher education (UNESCO, 2009)
 Academic advising/educational counselling & support centres
 Alumni relations in student affairs
 Bookstore services
 Call centres
 Campus activities/student organizations
 Campus security/police and protection services
 Careers service
 Chaplaincy and multi-faith services
 Childcare
 College unions/university centres/student centres
 Community service/service learning
 Dining/food services
 Disability services
 Housing/accommodation/residence life
 International student services
 Leadership education, development, training and support
 Lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT)work in student affairs
 (…)

10. + Profession strengthening and field advocacy.
Job title and opportunity

11. + Approach more network opportunities.
Organizations
 International Association of Student Affairs and Services -
http://www.iasasonline.org/
 Asia Pacific Student Services Association - http://www.apssa.info/
 European Council for Student Affairs (ECStA) - http://www.ecsta.org/
 Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education -
http://www.cas.edu/
 American College Personnel Association - http://www.myacpa.org/
 National Association of Student Personnel Administrators -
http://www.naspa.org/

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References
 Fisher, E. (2013) Why you should join a student organization? University of Houston. Aug 23, 2013
http://www.egr.uh.edu/news/201308/why-you-should-join-student-organization. Apr 16, 2014
 Hegedus,C. & Knight,J .(2002) Student Participation in Collegiate Organizations – Expanding the
Boundaries. The Association of Leadership Educators, 2002 Conference Proceedings.
http://www.leadershipeducators.org/Resources/Documents/Conferences/Lexington/Hegedus.pdf
 Nguyen,Trieu (2013) Solution for Youth Union development in Foreign Trade University. (in press)
 UNESCO. (2009) Student Affairs and Services in Higher Education: Global Foundations, Issues and Best
Practices. Paris, UNESCO. (ED.2009/Conf.402/inf.7 )
 Viet Nam National Union of Students. (2013) Models and Solutions in Youth Union activities and student
affairs 2009-2013. The 9th National Congress documents.
http://www.hsvvn.vn/daihoi/data/files/files/files/Mo%20hinh%20giai%20phap.html