Support Center for Minority Group @VinUni
SUPPORT CENTER FOR MINORITY GROUP
The Support Center for Minority Group@VinUni focuses on enhancing the academic and social life of minority students, including LGBTQ+ students and those from an ethnic or religious minority by providing: Student counselling and mentoring; Informative and educational workshops; Field trips to overlooked areas; Facilities for religious and counselling activities; and Raising awareness of minority students’ wellbeing in the University community. University departments and colleges proactively collaborate to ensure that minority students could successfully navigate their university life.
PRISM COMMUNITY
VinUni PRISM (People Respecting Individuality, Sexuality and Multi-perspectives) is a student-led community that aims to provide a safe space for community engagement, sex education resources and raising awareness of gender identities, sexual orientations and LGBTQ+. Students are welcomed to various workshops and team-building activities, such as regular meetups, game, movie, book discussion nights related to gender and sexuality.
EDUCATION WORKSHOPS
Gender and Sexual Health Education workshops – part of VinUni’s Wellbeing program for all students including LGBTQ+ students. Speakers and experts in the fields of healthcare, wellbeing, education, and social work are invited to share their knowledge with the students in these interactive workshops. Ms Lien Trinh, mental health counsellor and College of Arts and Sciences faculty member, is currently an advisor for the program.
RESEARCH COLLABORATION
VinUni, in collaboration with the University of East Anglia (UK), is conducting research on the LGBTQ+ student community in higher education, entitled “Lived Experiences of Gender and Sexual Minorities in Higher Education in Vietnam”. This research is funded by Global Partnership Gender Equality Funding by British Council.
PEER SUPPORT GROUP
Since 2021, VinUni has established the Peer Support Group (PSG) consisted of five trained students to take on peer support activities to support students’ well-being. Among these peer supporters, there is a self-identified LGBTQ+ individual, who contributes to supporting students belonging to sexual minorities at VinUni.
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
In this academic year, we are working on volunteer trips to mountainous areas in Vietnam for students to raise awareness of issues of relevance to ethnic communities. Our first destination will be Mu Cang Chai, on November 19, 2022, with the project “Book for students” (VinUniversity in collaboration with Vietcombank) to donate books for ethnic minority boarding schools in the northern mountainous region. Every year, only about 60% of students here go to university, college and vocational training institutions. The rest stay at home to work in the fields, as this is the tradition for the H’Mong ethnic group. Through the trip, hopefully, these students will be inspired and motivated to pursue their education.
The Support Center for Minority Group is located on the first floor, I building. For more information, feel free to contact Ms Lien Trinh, the advisor, mental health counsellor and College of Arts and Sciences faculty member via lien.ttt@vinuni.edu.vn .
