Student inequalities in Vietnamese higher education? Exploring how gender, socioeconomic status, and university experiences influence leadership efficacy

Abstract

Since the economic renovation, Vietnamese higher education (HE) system has prioritised to expand student quantity, but left student equality unaddressed. While Vietnamese HE’s scale rapidly expanses, its education quality raises concerns. University graduates are criticised as underequipped with soft skills, which are indispensable in the contemporary workplaces. This study investigated student inequalities on gender, family socioeconomic status (SES), and university experiences in Vietnamese HE. More importantly, how these inequalities influenced student leadership efficacy, a critical soft skill much sought-after by employers. Empirical data analysed in the study showed that female Vietnamese university students came from more diverse SES families and perceived lower leadership efficacy than their male counterparts. Regarding university experiences to leadership efficacy, not all curricular engagements were beneficial; involvements in co-curricular activities predominated by the opposite gender were particularly beneficial. These results may be attributed to the traditional culture and specific HE context in Vietnam.

Keywords:

• Vietnam
• student leadership efficacy
• gender
• family SES
• university experiences