Institutional Fees and Research in Vietnam
From: <rowens@uga.edu>
Date: Fri, Nov 14, 2008 at 7:38 AM
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
I am planning to begin research in Vietnam and had a question concerning institutional fees. Are there differences between the North and South? Are monthly fees common, even while in the field? I am resistant to such fees but wanted to check in with others before proceeding with any action.
Richard
UGA
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From: Joseph Hannah <jhannah@u.washington.edu>
Date: Fri, Nov 14, 2008 at 11:53 AM
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Dear Richard,
These fees seem to be highly variable by institution and geography.
Some researchers have reported paying nothing, others pay a great
deal.
I worked through the University of Social Sciences and Humanities
(HCMC) in 2003-4 and paid about $150 for 12-months affiliation. I
thought this was money very well spent. they sponsored multiple entry
research visas for me and my family (though the visa fees were
additional), gave me unlimited access to several of their faculty, and
they provided me with invaluable letters of introduction to a couple
dozen academic, government and Party people to whom I doubt I would
have gotten access otherwise.
The University also asked me to provide some minor services, which I
gladly did: a couple talks/lectures to junior faculty, discussions of
my work with various members of the university, etc. These activities
were not really "payment," however, as they were relationship-building
and friendship building opportunities. I did, however, draw the line
at teaching English, as they pressured me to do for a while.
In my case, the fees were published in the university's printed and
web materials and was not negotiable. In other researchers' cases the
fees seemed to be far less formal, more negotiable, and somewhat
institutionally suspect.
Hope this anecdotal information is helpful,
Joe Hannah