SHERIDAN COLLEGE
Sheridan signs MOU in Vietnam to advance internationalization and global connectivity

Sheridan has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Khoi Nguyen Investment Group (KNI) in Vietnam. KNI continues the Canadian education legacy of its predecessor company Khoi Nguyen Education Group (KNE). The founders of the two groups have built and operated five schools over the past decade including one of Ho Chi Minh City's international schools - The Canadian International School Vietnam (CIS) whose graduates can earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or an International Baccalaureate Diploma - as well as their newest accredited Alberta Offshore School situated in Lao Cai city of Vietnam. KNI has been working to seek esteemed Canadian partners for its newest project to bring Canadian vocational college and institutional programming to Vietnam.

From left to right: Ms. Thao Trinh, Deputy General Director at KNI and a member of the Board of Directors, and Carol Altilia, Provost and Vice President, Academic at Sheridan.
 

"Engaging with our international community is vital to upholding academic excellence, offering a rich and dynamic student experience, delivering learner-centered services and advancing our commitment to research and scholarship," says Dr. Janet Morrison, President and Vice Chancellor of Sheridan. "This MOU will enable Sheridan to uphold its commitment to internationalization and global connectivity by exploring further opportunities to foster collaboration, inclusion, and multilateralism."

"We are honoured to be signing this MOU with Sheridan College to continue exploring the opportunity to deliver high quality education to Vietnamese learners. Sheridan College is renowned for its comprehensive education in Canada and our group hopes that through this MOU, Vietnamese students will have the chance to access a high quality, diverse and practical education right here in Vietnam," says Ms. Thao Trinh, Deputy General Director at KNI and a member of the Board of Directors.

Sheridan's Internationalization and Global Connectivity Strategy is built on inter-related pillars that include creating intentional global and local impact; nurturing critical global citizens and changemakers; and building global identity. The plan is informed by three interconnected foci: equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization (EDID); sustainable development; and digital transformation. The work is also guided by six unwavering principles: reciprocity, relevance and impact, reflexivity, respect, responsibility, and inclusivity.

These efforts build on a long track record of success at Sheridan. Approximately 33% of Sheridan's learners are international students who hail from over 110 countries while the institution's alumni are spread over 88 countries. Sheridan has signed over 100 MOUs, articulation, and affiliation agreements with international partners that range between student and faculty exchanges, pathways to further study, work-integrated learning opportunities and study abroad programs. Its Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) programs connect Sheridan's classrooms and courses with those offered at other post-secondary institutions globally, providing a new modality for student mobility that is inclusive, accessible, and sustainable. Sheridan has existing partnerships and projects in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the United States.

From left to right: Rajan Sandhu, Vice President, Strategy and General Counsel at Sheridan, Carol Altilia, Provost and Vice President, Academic at Sheridan, and Associate Professor Pham Tiet Khanh, President of Vietnam Association of Community Colleges, attending an International Education and Partnership Conference in Vietnam.
 

"Internationalization and global connectivity opportunities help our students and employees develop a strong global mindset and understand their role in fostering a welcoming and supportive community," adds Morrison. "This work is a key pillar of our vision to be the epicentre for groundbreaking, standard-setting higher education that unleashes everyone's full potential and empowers people to flourish in and shape an ever-changing world."