Educator Nguyen Thuy Uyen Phuong: “We need to look beyond the story of education”

Many are struck by the determination that defines Uyen Phuong. Her deep professional expertise, honesty and incisive thinking have shaped new values in Vietnam’s educational landscape—both in practice and philosophy.

That foundation was laid each day by her mother—a woman who instilled in her a sense of pride in being creative and courageous enough to forge her own path. A passionate literature teacher, her mother brought texts to life with fervour, captivating her students. The books she wrote, the articles she published, and her teaching itself became a lasting source of inspiration—especially the calm, thoughtful way she approached challenges. Growing up in a family deeply rooted in education, the arts and cultural heritage, Uyen Phuong experienced a richly textured childhood. “Luckily, my childhood was spent meeting and witnessing people who dared to do things that were different from the norm!” she says.

As a child, she quietly observed the dedication of those who spent years preserving the My Son ruins or the historic streets of Hoi An—at a time when few people recognised their value. She remembers those who wrote, worked in silence, and made unseen contributions. To little Uyen Phuong, those were acts of greatness. It was during such moments that a quiet realisation settled in: everyone shares the same daily concerns—putting food on the table, getting through the day—and in doing so, we often forget our boldest dreams.

A reserved child who preferred her own inner world, Phuong was seen as shy, lacking the quickness and social ease admired in other children. Yet her grandfather, a member of an old Central Vietnamese feudal family, recognised something different. He saw her for who she truly was. “Phuong isn’t shy. Phuong is simply different,” he would say. His quiet confidence stayed with her for years. Though she didn't conform to conventional moulds, she entered high school believing in her potential to lead. “If it weren’t for my grandfather’s unconventional belief, I might have remained that timid little girl,” Phuong shares.

Phuong insists she never harboured grand ambitions for herself. “There were simply small things that had taken root in my heart long ago,” she says, with characteristic modesty. After university, she was entrusted with coordinating two pioneering projects: the Good Book Award—founded by prominent intellectuals—and a leadership development initiative created by leading business figures of the time. Through these projects, she met people who thought differently and found herself profoundly inspired. Later, she took part in a US State Department scholarship programme for educational experts while running a business leadership academy. It was during this time that she truly discovered where she belonged.

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Years of experience taught her a hard truth. “There are too many problems in adults that can’t be fixed, no matter how good the programme is. Just patching up an adult is so tiring,” she reflects. It was this realisation that drew her back to general education and the world of children. When she confided in her supervisor about her hopes of developing new educational models for young learners, he introduced her to experts working on child education initiatives across developing countries. In a remarkable twist of fate, he was also involved in an educational project in her hometown—alongside her grandfather’s former colleagues in the Quang Nam provincial government.

Soon after, an invitation arrived for her to pursue a doctorate in education and research at a university in the United States. It was a difficult choice, but in the end, she chose to return. Her suitcases, she recalls, were impossibly large—brimming not just with children’s textbooks, but with dreams she had carried with her for years.

Fifteen years ago, Vietnam had very few creative school models. Uyen Phuong began her journey by revisiting some of the world’s most influential educational philosophies. Translating books on key figures in the history of children’s education—such as Maria Montessori and the Reggio Emilia approach—helped her uncover the deeper values behind educational theory, while also tracing how Progressive Education made its way into Asia. After years of research and experimentation, she came to a simple truth: while methods may differ in expression, they are grounded in shared principles—profound and universally human philosophies of learning. Some lean towards structured thinking, others towards science or art. There is no right or wrong, only different paths. No method is flawless, yet each aims toward nurturing the whole person.

Progressive: A pedagogical movement that began in the late 19th century and has evolved in many forms since.

Applying any educational philosophy requires context—it must be shaped by purpose and setting to truly come alive. While human values and the foundations of education remain constant, there are countless ways to reach them. These approaches are not in conflict; they reflect life’s varied dimensions. In raising a person, we must offer space for them to explore and come to know themselves through different lenses. The child is not a passive recipient—the child is the curriculum, the red thread running through it all.

As a pioneer of new educational methods and models in Vietnam, Uyen Phuong believes that cultivating a sense of roots is more vital now than ever.

In today’s flattened world, many—especially those who have studied abroad—struggle with a quiet sense of dislocation, caught between identities and unable to anchor themselves. Education often overlooks these unseen values. Instead, children are swept into a whirlwind of grades, tests, achievements and generational pressure. They may appear to succeed, yet feel directionless, unsure of who they are or where they belong. “Vietnamese education has many shortcomings—but it’s not all bleak,” she reflects. “The real problem lies in our prejudices: against our feudal past, against tradition, against rules—so much so that we forget the strengths of Asian education.” When our cultural heritage continues to flow within us, it gives us beauty, depth and difference. One can only stand firm in their worth when they carry an identity rooted in something meaningful. Often, what we think of as new is actually a return—to foundations that have always sustained us.

Before she builds or implements any educational model, Uyen Phuong devotes time to quiet observation. She waits until she deeply understands the challenge—and until it feels authentic to her and her community. For her, the process begins with questions. The ability to question, to reflect, to continually reassess, helps expand knowledge and bridge the space between tradition and modern life.

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She shared: Stereotypes imported from other cultures often carry weighty consequences and offer sobering lessons. We now find ourselves with generations of parents who are, as she puts it, “half-baked”—easily swayed, inconsistent, and arbitrary in their approach—due to misunderstandings, misapplication, and a lack of clarity. Take, for instance, the notion of individualism. The strong emphasis on independence in Western culture encourages children to assert themselves, while Asian societies are still deeply rooted in a collective mindset shaped by generations of rigorous discipline. Reconciling these contrasting values is no simple task. Inconsistencies from adults create confusion; children are caught in the tension between liberty and control. “We must ask ourselves,” she reflects, “what are we doing, what are we preserving, and what is it that we truly want?” The cost of missteps in both medicine and education is often high—measured not only in outcomes, but in the erosion of lives and inner spirit. Only by asking hard questions, remaining open, and adapting thoughtfully can we begin to understand our choices—and find steadier footing in an unsettled world.

This is not simply another moment in the cycle of technological advancement. Humanity is confronting an era of challenges unlike any before, marked by the rapid ascent of artificial intelligence. Nothing has posed such a direct challenge to human primacy. AI is outpacing top minds—even outperforming senior professors at Microsoft—and is mastering disciplines from quantum theory to the arts. It offers therapy, listens without pause, and positions itself as a constant, intuitive presence. It is reshaping thought, shifting how we absorb information, and deeply influencing every field, with education at the forefront. As AI alters the structure of societies, disrupts global norms, and tests the limits of human cognition and ethics, people are increasingly handing over decisions—once human—to systems and algorithms. The smarter AI becomes, the more diminished human agency may feel.

“In my view,” she explains, “the purpose of education is first and foremost to teach us how to be human.” The challenge now lies in finding a way to work alongside machines effectively, while remaining fully human in the process. That is no easy feat. The mission is to foster the innovation that education has always needed, but to do so in harmony with the AI age. The heart of it lies in helping children not only master AI but also defend and carry forward essential human values. “Artificial intelligence,” she insists, “must always remain under the canopy of humanity.”

Uyen Phuong is the founder and director of VAIEP (Vietnam AI for Education Program), a non-profit initiative awarded the US State Department’s 2024 Education Innovation Award. The programme aims to help Vietnamese education rise to meet the transformations brought by AI by promoting fresh, technology-driven teaching approaches. She is also continuing her PhD in New Learning, where she explores the evolution of human thought, education, and personal development in this shifting era. “The most urgent task for education leaders,” she adds, “is to look beyond the boundaries of education itself, and begin to truly understand the demands of the times we live in.”

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