Giang Kieu Phong
Vietnam
Class of April 2022
I have nearly six years of experience in a senior position in hospitality business development. In fact, I thought that I would never continue my studies at graduate school. Then, the pandemic dramatically changed the world, including me. COVID-19 has affected almost every industry globally, with the hospitality industry being among the hardest hit. During the social isolation, I spent most of my time taking a look at my career, and I realized that I need to invest in myself through education.
My interest in business management, international development policy, and so on has led me to pursue a Master’s degree in International Administration. The GSIA program combines in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge in hospitality management which is essential to my career. I have no doubt my experience at Josai International University will boost my leadership and entrepreneurial skills, help me become a global-minded professional and a socially conscious human being. Based on the foregoing, I believe the program fits in perfectly with my educational and professional goals.
My research topic is finding the factors influencing the decisions of residents to engage in community tourism in Ninh Thuan, Vietnam. After finishing this research, I hope the outcome will contribute to the sustainable development of the tourism industry in Vietnam. To complete my master’s thesis, I have to actively improve my academic skills in Professor Kurosawa’s seminar class. In this seminar class, our research themes are mainly in the fields of tourism and public policy. We will meet with Professor Kurosawa on an individual or group basis every week to share our research topic and to improve our master thesis. At the same time, Professor Kurosawa often organizes field trips to famous destinations in Japan to observe the actual tourism policy in practice at local government agencies. Thus, I have no doubt that my seminar class not only improves my academic skills but also allows us to gain practical experiences.
After graduation, I would like to spend at least five years gaining experience and contributing to the development of an organization in Japan's tourism industry, specifically business management. Eventually, my long-term goal is to establish a hospitality consultant organization that will consult and support accommodation businesses in Vietnam.
It is a pleasure being a student of Josai International University, more specifically the Graduate School of International Administration (GSIA). Choosing to study at GSIA, is a great choice. Firstly, Japan is a renowned country in terms of the hospitality industry and GSIA provides practical skills, deeper expertise in hospitality and tourism. Secondly, I am impressed by the effort of the outstanding teaching faculty which not only assists me to improve my academic skills but also helps me to carry out my research smoothly. Thirdly, foreign students can achieve a good study/life balance at Josai International University (JIU). For foreign students, social life is also important besides studying. JIU usually organizes cultural and exchange activities throughout the year for foreign and Japanese students. Lastly, you can always get advice from excellent professors with versatile expertise from industries as well as academia for your post-graduation career.
For those who are looking for a high level of education in Japan, I strongly believe that GSIA can be the place where one can become a global leader in the future.