Monthly Archives: July 2010

Trang wins women’s tourney

VietNamNet Bridge – Cyclist Nguyen Thuy Dung won the seventh and final stage of the National Women’s Open Cycling Tournament, An Giang Television Cup, while veteran Phan Thi Thuy Trang walked away in yellow as the overall winner July 16.

 

Dung of Binh Duong Environment, Water and Drainage defeated her strong rivals over the 73km stage of the race from Rach Gia city, Kien Giang Province to Long Xuyen city, An Giang Province in one hour 55 minutes and 57 seconds, clocking a top speed of 37.755 km per hour.

The 2005 Southeast Asian Games winner, Trang, of An Giang Plant Protection and Dung’s teammate, and national team member Vo Thi Phuong Phi, were second and third yesterday.

Trang, who won the third, fourth and fifth stage, won the overall yellow jersey after seven stages with a total time of 15:21.03. Stephankaya Natalya of Kazakhstan and Phuong Phi came in second and third overall.

Along with the yellow jersey, Trang also walked away with the green jersey after earning 88 points throughout the tournament. The green jersey is awarded to the highest scoring cyclist in the tournament.

In team rankings, Domesco Dong Thap took the lead with a combined time of 46:05.49, followed by Binh Duong, and An Giang Plant Protection.

The VND150 million (US$7,800) seven-stage event attracted 12 teams and 56 cyclists. They raced 562km through 11 provinces and cities.

HCM City IT association gives annual awards

VietNamNet Bridge – The HCM City Computers Association last week presented annual Gold Medals and the Top 5 Information and Communication Technology Cup to 41 companie

 

The award winners get their titles in HCM City July 14, 2009. (Photo: VNA)
The award winners get their titles in HCM City July 14, 2009. (Photo: VNA)

There were 33 gold medals in eight categories based on turnover and 38 companies received the trophies in the leading ICT businesses, Vietnamese computer, hardware, integrated system service, internet, digital content, retail, software, software exporter and training based on turnover, brand names, and prestige.

Leading internet provider Viet Nam Datacommunications Company won a gold medal with a turnover of more than VND2 trillion (over US$105 million) and a trophy for top Internet Service Provider.

Others to win included FPT Technology Products Ltd, CMC, and HPT all of whom had a turnover of at least VND500 billion.

Samsung Vina, FPT, CMS retained their eminence in hardware.

Phong Vu, Tran Anh, and Hoan Long were the top retailers and Pythis, CMC, MISA won in the software category.

FPT, TMA Solutions, CSC Viet Nam, and Global CyberSoft Viet Nam were recognised for their software exports.

The other prize given away on the day, the Top Five ICT Trophy, saw most of last year’s winners in the training category again win this year. There were the Indo-Vietnamese joint ventures Aptech, NIIT Viet Nam, the Natural Science University’s ICT Centre, and Infoworld School. Sai Gon CTT won for the first time.

FPT, CMC Corp, IDC Group, and HPT again won in the category of leading Viet Nam ICT companies.

FPT Elead, CMS, and Robo were the most famous names in Vietnamese-made computers. Tan Binh Electronics Joint-Stock company was also named. VinaGame again won the top online game provider.

HCM City IT association gives annual awards

VietNamNet Bridge – The HCM City Computers Association last week presented annual Gold Medals and the Top 5 Information and Communication Technology Cup to 41 companie

 

The award winners get their titles in HCM City July 14, 2009. (Photo: VNA)
The award winners get their titles in HCM City July 14, 2009. (Photo: VNA)

There were 33 gold medals in eight categories based on turnover and 38 companies received the trophies in the leading ICT businesses, Vietnamese computer, hardware, integrated system service, internet, digital content, retail, software, software exporter and training based on turnover, brand names, and prestige.

Leading internet provider Viet Nam Datacommunications Company won a gold medal with a turnover of more than VND2 trillion (over US$105 million) and a trophy for top Internet Service Provider.

Others to win included FPT Technology Products Ltd, CMC, and HPT all of whom had a turnover of at least VND500 billion.

Samsung Vina, FPT, CMS retained their eminence in hardware.

Phong Vu, Tran Anh, and Hoan Long were the top retailers and Pythis, CMC, MISA won in the software category.

FPT, TMA Solutions, CSC Viet Nam, and Global CyberSoft Viet Nam were recognised for their software exports.

The other prize given away on the day, the Top Five ICT Trophy, saw most of last year’s winners in the training category again win this year. There were the Indo-Vietnamese joint ventures Aptech, NIIT Viet Nam, the Natural Science University’s ICT Centre, and Infoworld School. Sai Gon CTT won for the first time.

FPT, CMC Corp, IDC Group, and HPT again won in the category of leading Viet Nam ICT companies.

FPT Elead, CMS, and Robo were the most famous names in Vietnamese-made computers. Tan Binh Electronics Joint-Stock company was also named. VinaGame again won the top online game provider.

Vietnamese students win 3 medals at International Biology Olympiad

The Vietnamese team at the 21st International Biology Olympiad

The Vietnamese team won three medals at the 21st International Biology Olympiad, held in Changwon City, the Republic of Korea, said the Ministry of Education and Training on July 17.

Cao Bao Anh from Ho Chi Minh City National University’s High School for Gifted Students and Bui Thuy Anh from Hanoi’s Amsterdam High School won silver medals, while a bronze medal went to Vu Thi Ngoc Oanh, from Hanoi University of Education’s HIgh School.

Vietnam will host the International Biology Olympiad in 2016.

In related news, a Vietnamese team including five students Friday went to Tokyo, Japan to take part in the 2010 International Chemistry Olympiad, held from July 19-28.

HCM City IT association gives annual awards

VietNamNet Bridge – The HCM City Computers Association last week presented annual Gold Medals and the Top 5 Information and Communication Technology Cup to 41 companies.

 

 

The award winners get their titles in HCM City July 14, 2009. (Photo: VNA)
The award winners get their titles in HCM City July 14, 2009. (Photo: VNA)

There were 33 gold medals in eight categories based on turnover and 38 companies received the trophies in the leading ICT businesses, Vietnamese computer, hardware, integrated system service, internet, digital content, retail, software, software exporter and training based on turnover, brand names, and prestige.

Leading internet provider Viet Nam Datacommunications Company won a gold medal with a turnover of more than VND2 trillion (over US$105 million) and a trophy for top Internet Service Provider.

Others to win included FPT Technology Products Ltd, CMC, and HPT all of whom had a turnover of at least VND500 billion.

Samsung Vina, FPT, CMS retained their eminence in hardware.

Phong Vu, Tran Anh, and Hoan Long were the top retailers and Pythis, CMC, MISA won in the software category.

FPT, TMA Solutions, CSC Viet Nam, and Global CyberSoft Viet Nam were recognised for their software exports.

The other prize given away on the day, the Top Five ICT Trophy, saw most of last year’s winners in the training category again win this year. There were the Indo-Vietnamese joint ventures Aptech, NIIT Viet Nam, the Natural Science University’s ICT Centre, and Infoworld School. Sai Gon CTT won for the first time.

FPT, CMC Corp, IDC Group, and HPT again won in the category of leading Viet Nam ICT companies.

FPT Elead, CMS, and Robo were the most famous names in Vietnamese-made computers. Tan Binh Electronics Joint-Stock company was also named. VinaGame again won the top online game provider.

Tech driven firms recruit ‘best students’

 

IT students look for employment at a job fair held annually by the HCM City Computer Association. — VNA/VNS Photo The Anh

IT students look for employment at a job fair held annually by the HCM City Computer Association. — VNA/VNS Photo The Anh

HCM CITY — Proactive companies in Viet Nam are helping top students reap the benefits of college study by handpicking them for expensive overseas training programs.

Intel Viet Nam in co-operation with RMIT International University last week started scouring technical colleges around the country for talented students to put through masters programmes in electronics and computers.

The 20 final-year students that the talent scouts select will each receive an Intel scholarship worth VND1 billion (US$52,631) for study at RMIT’s Melbourne campus. In exchange they will sign a contract to work for Intel Viet Nam for three years after they graduate.

"Graduating in 2013, these young engineering students will work at Intel’s chip assembly and testing facilities," Intel’s External Affairs manager Ho Uyen said.

Intel last month also granted scholarships for English-language courses in the US to 105 technical students and young engineers in Ha Noi, Da Nang and HCM City. The scholarships were worth a total VND34 billion (US$1.7 million).

Recipients of these scholarships must also pledge three years work for Intel after completing the course.

"Being the first foreign company investing in high technology in Viet Nam, Intel will need about 2,500 technical workers for its factory scheduled to be inaugurated later this year, " Uyen said.

Companies like Uniliver Viet Nam, Viet Nam Gas and Oil Corporation, Thai Tuan Textile Company and Ford Viet Nam have also recruited young graduates and trained them on the job.

Every year Ford Viet Nam cooperates with universities in Ha Noi and HCM City to compile lists of students and their studying performance, said Nguyen Huyen Chi, head of Ford’s personnel management department here.

"Many students were recruited and received training last year," Chi said.

"The company looks upon the scheme as a long term investment that will pay off in an increasingly competitive environment," Chi said.

Some domestic banks like Tien Phong and GP Banks employ students in their final year at economics and finance colleges on a trial basis. Students with the most potential will be recruited after their graduation.

Proactive businesses also seek personnel at job fairs organised every year by the Youth Union or colleges and universities around the country.

The annual job fair organised by HCM City’s Youth Union last March attracted 54 businesses with recruitment targets three times higher than the previous year.

Businesses interviewed 18,300 candidates, focusing on technology, business management and services.

Big IT companies like Gameloft, Lac Viet, FPT, HPT and TMA Solutions interviewed hundreds of candidates for positions requiring high level skills like project administration, programming and quality control at a one-day job fair organised last month at Quang Trung Software Centre in HCM City.

"As 70 per cent of the population are young people under 30 years old, Viet Nam has a huge labour force, " Le Phuong Anh, deputy director of MCG Consultative Company said.

"The important thing is that this young work force needs to improve knowledge and skills to meet the ever-growing demands from employers, " Anh said. — VNS

Teachers wanted

 

Students of grade 1 stand up to greet their teacher in Hoang Van Thu elementary School, HCM City. The city is facing a severe shortage of elementary teacher applicants this year. — VNA/VNS Photo Trang Duong

Students of grade 1 stand up to greet their teacher in Hoang Van Thu elementary School, HCM City. The city is facing a severe shortage of elementary teacher applicants this year. — VNA/VNS Photo Trang Duong

HCM CITY — HCM City Department of Education and Training is facing its biggest shortage of applicants for teaching positions, especially for primary schools.

Only half of the new primary school teaching positions had been applied for, despite extending the deadline for applications to July 9, Van Cong Sang, head of the department’s Personnel Office said.

The city wants 3,000 new teachers including nearly 560 for primary schools in the 2010-2011 school year, the education department head, Huynh Cong Minh, said.

Most of the positions would be in outer districts such as Binh Tan, Binh Chanh, Tan Phu and Tan Binh, he said.

Minh said the new teacher shortage was the worst so far in the city, particularly for primary schools and for teachers of gymnastics, geography and biology at junior high schools.

Pedagogy University and Sai Gon University only supplies 1000 new teacher graduates a year.

Phan Van Keo, head of the education and training office in Hoc Mon District said the number of applicants this year hadn’t even scratched the surface of district’s need for new teachers.

They had only received 30 applications for teaching positions at all schooling levels but they needed at least 38 for primary level alone, Keo said.

In Can Gio District, only a couple had applied for 17 primary school teaching jobs.

A district education official said they might have to take teachers out of secondary schools to teach primary kids.

Other possible solutions were – encouraging retired teachers to return to work and recruiting teachers from other provinces. — VNS

Vietnamese students shine at International Mathematics Olympiad

Six Vietnamese students were winners at at the 51st International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO) including a gold, four silver’s and one bronze medal.

Olympic IMO team for 2010

The gold medal went to Nguyen Ngoc Trung, a 12th grade student from the Hung Vuong Advanced Secondary School in Phu Tho Province.

Four silver medals were granted to Vu Dinh Long, an 11th grade student from the College of Science under the Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Tran Thai Hung, also an 11th grade student from the Practical Secondary School under the Ho Chi Minh City University of Pedagogy; Nguyen Kieu Hieu and Pham Viet Cuong, both 12th grade students from the Le Quy Don Advanced Secondary School in Da Nang City.

Nguyen Minh Hieu, another 12th grade student from the College of Science under the Vietnam National University, Hanoi won the bronze medal.

The result was announced by the Ministry of Education & Training. This year’s IMO was organised in Astana, Kazakhstan from July 2-14.

Vietnam joined the competition for the first time in 1974. Until now, there have been 5 Vietnamese students who won gold medals for 2 consecutive years. They are Ngo Bao Chau at IMO 1988 and 1989, Dao Hai Long at IMO 1994 and 1995, Ngo Dac Tuan at IMO 1995 and 1996, Vu Ngoc Minh at IMO 2001 and 2002, Le Hung Viet Bao at IMO 2003 and 2004.

The International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) is the World Championship Mathematics Competition for High School students and is held annually in a different country. The first IMO was held in 1959 in Romania, with 7 countries participating. It has gradually expanded to over 100 countries from 5 continents.

Student in need rewarded for his achievements

Despite being born into challenging circumstances, Nguyen Xuan Chuong refused to settle for less. He’s now enjoying the result of his efforts: a full scholarship to study in the USA.

Nguyen Xuan Chuong in New York, where he’s currently studying

Chuong was born to an impoverished family at Tu Xa Commune, Lam Thao District, Phu Tho Province. His parents are farmers.

Chuong achieved excellent marks in school without fail for 12 years. In 2007, he won second prize in a national mathematics competition. In the same year, he was also awarded a silver medal in the 48th International Mathematical Olympiad.

Furthermore, he passed the entrance examination to the Applied Mathematics and Informatics faculty of the Hanoi University of Science & Technology. Chuong continued to work ceaselessly at his studies until he was ultimately awarded a full scholarship to study in the USA. However, the reward is both a joy and a source of worry for his family.

This summer Chuong is ecstatic to have a chance to visit home.

He shared that the love and faith of his grandparents, parents and teachers have inspired him greatly to strive for excellence.

For Chuong, memories of difficult days, when he rode his bicycle 10 kilometres to school and saved every penny to buy new reference books, never fade.

Nguyen Xuan Chien, Chuong’s father said, “Even if my family has to live off of vegetables and rice porridge, I will never let my son leave school.”

Chuong shared his secret of learning Maths successfully: “I spent all my free time studying Maths. Before going to bed, I forced myself to recall a mathematical formula.”

Upon arriving in America, Chuong faced many challenges. After some time, however, he is getting used to his new environment. Still, he admits he misses his family, teachers and friends a great deal.

“I always try hard to achieve the best results. But I will never forget the fond care of my past teachers, even though I am now studying in the USA,” he shared.

Chuong added, “My communication skills in English are not so good. I am trying to improve my English to keep from being left behind. I think language plays a vital role in adapting to a new study and living environment. Moreover, class hours are limited, so I have to spend a lot of time studying on my own.”

Chuong with his family (Photo by Tu Lap)

Vietnam operators struggle to get established in 3G market

The actual numbers of 3G network subscribers in Vietnam are much lower than the numbers that mobile operators had previously suggested.

Many challenges are still ahead for the 3G market. (Photo: TT)

The latest survey by the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) reveals that Viettel and Vinaphone only have 1.5 million subscribers each, while Mobifone has 4 million. In the 9 months since the 3G network was deployed in the country, the 3 largest mobile operators combine for only 7 million subscribers in total, half the number that these operators had claimed.

According to many telecommunications experts, the number 7 million could still be an overestimate considering subscribers to 3G services were included regardless of how much or how frequently they used the network.

Deputy Director Nguyen Xuan Tru, from the Department of Telecommunications, said this data reflects the slow development of 3G in Vietnam.

Currently, Vietnamese mobile consumers mainly use their 3G network to access Internet, while other value-added services – a major source of income for 3G network operators, have not been effectively utilised. This means a huge waste of resources on the 3G network.

To date In Vietnam, there are 4 mobile operators that provide 3G services (Vinaphone, Mobifone, Viettel and EVN Telecom), but the content of these providers services are not much different from one another, if not,the same: Mobile Internet, Video Call, Mobile Camera, Mobile TV.

Many experts think that the reason behind these limited service options is inadequate agreements between the digital content distributors and the mobile operators. Meanwhile, if a service was made special and suitable to the consumer market, it would likely draw large numbers of subscribers.

Agreeing with this opinion, Director Pham Hong Hai, from the Department of Telecommunications, said that currently, global users mainly use their 3G network to download music, but not so much for video call or even browsing the internet on their mobiles. Vietnamese 3G network providers need to find services that are culturally suitable to the country, not just simply apply global trends to Vietnam, he said.

Before entering the 3G race, mobile operators had foreseen that it would not be an easy competition. If not dealt with properly, any providers could easily go bankrupt, according to Viettel managers. Nevertheless, billions of dollars have been poured into the 3G race.

The mobile operators estimated that their capital can be recovered in 5 years, but according to experts, at the current rate of 3G network development, this goal would be unattainable.