One of just 60 international students to receive a scholarship as part of the Higher Education Authority’s (HEA) International Education Scholarship programme, SETU graduate Quynh Nguyen now hopes to use her education at the University to strengthen Irish-Asian food trade links.
"My time at SETU has helped me to confidently express my thoughts, listen actively, challenge ideas, and collaborate effectively."
Quynh Nguyen SETU graduate
Following a stint at Swedish charity AIESEC where she volunteered as a project leader, Quynh, originally from Vietnam, worked as a supply chain specialist – championing sustainability and cost-saving in an industry that thrives on gaining an edge in efficiency. Keen to raise her skillset to the next level, Quynh pinpointed South East Technological University's (SETU) Master of Business in Internationalisation as the right course to broaden her understanding of the global business landscape.
The importance of networking
As part of my Master of Business in Internationalisation, I discovered the importance of networking for establishing partnerships and accessing business opportunities through referrals. Networking helped me gain the confidence needed to diversify my skillset. Networking also helped me realise that diversity enhances team productivity. Creating an open and friendly atmosphere in meetings attended by people of diverse backgrounds encourages the growth of ideas, allowing everyone to benefit from the wealth of knowledge and expertise each team member brings.
Room for discussion
The lecturers imparted valuable knowledge and created many opportunities for open discussion. Interacting with classmates, many of whom had plenty of real-world experience, certainly enhanced my critical thinking skills. My time at SETU has certainly helped me to confidently express my thoughts, listen actively, challenge ideas, and collaborate effectively. Lastly, engaging in a consulting project with an Irish enterprise offered me a valuable opportunity to bridge the gap between theory and practice.
Memorable adventures
One of the highlights of my time at SETU was the one-week international study trip to France. This was a memorable adventure involving simulations across diverse global business scenarios that not only bolstered my confidence but also boosted my communication skills. Collaborating with classmates, each of whom brought unique real-world experiences to the table, opened my eyes to fresh, new approaches to doing international business.
Student ambassador
It's so important for students to be actively engaged in university life. Student welfare has long been an important facet of a healthy university. It was a privilege to be a student representative on SETU's governing body, where I discussed important issues to improve our study and campus experience. In addition, as a student ambassador, I proudly promoted SETU's excellent education on social media, reaching thousands of young people and, hopefully, inspiring more international students to come and study here.
Strengthening Irish-Asian trade
Now that I've graduated from SETU, I hope to become a transformative supply chain manager, envisioning a future where humans and robots collaborate on factory floors, algorithms predict demand patterns, and supply chains are fully synchronised and dynamically optimised from source suppliers to end customers. I aim to use my learnings from SETU's Master of Business in Internationalisation to offer expertise in working to expand Ireland's two-way trade with the Asia region. The rapidly growing middle class in Asia, with increased purchasing power and evolving dietary preferences, drives demand for high-quality imported food. Leveraging Ireland's rich agricultural history, I see an opportunity for the country to capitalise on this trend. With experience in global supply chain management, I plan to assist Irish companies in establishing optimal routes to the Asian market and selecting reliable logistics service providers for transportation and warehousing operations.
