In 2020, our son Valentin visited the IGS-HCMC in the second half of grade 7 while I was involved in a research cooperation at the HCMC University of Transport. Unfortunately, on the very first day of school, all classes in Vietnam were suspended due to the risk of COVID-19 infections. In an amazingly strong and creative effort, the teachers of IGS-HCMC switched to online teaching within only two days. In no time at all they had established an effective and flexible learning environment for all school children.

Valentin then had three months of online school at home. He did not get to know his classmates or his teachers personally during this long period. Nevertheless, Valentin enjoyed this time very much. It was admirable how well the teachers were motivated and dedicated to helping the students to get acquainted with online schooling, with English language, with homework, virtual class hours, team assignments and even online sports, music and art lessons.

Nevertheless we were glad when the children were allowed to go to school for the last 2 months. When our family’s stay in HCMC came to an end and Vietnam Airlines reopened the connections to Germany at the end of June, Valentin’s opinion about the IGS-HCMC was: Can I please stay at IGS-HCMC for another year!

We, his parents, could not have expressed it better.

“I wanted a school for my children where independence, lateral and unusual thinking is not only allowed, but explicitly encouraged. A school which offers a safe and sheltered space outside the home. A place where you can try yourself out and is not only academic but also unites all your senses. A school which understands that you don’t just learn at a desk but even when you move away from it . If you also want all this – and more – for your child, you can stop looking: IGS is the right place for your children. Concerns I had that the re-entry into the German school system would be a challenge, were unfounded – with my two children, the transition went very smoothly.

“The principle of language activation uses both theory and the experience gained from daily school and teaching practice at IGS. The active work on the term is supported by language-sensitive methods.

Science education is a main focus at the IGS. This gives a very high priority to conceptualisation and technical communication, especially in second language acquisition.”

“My son Jonathan visited IGS 2015 during my secondstay in Vietnam. His year at IGS is one of his best school experiences. The high standard of learning and the excellent supervision by the motivated and committed teachers have had a lasting and positive impact on Jonny. His school performance has improved significantly overall (especially in English). “The teachers have much more time and patience to explain the subject matter to you, “Jonny enthuses today. The school trip to Đà Lạt and the coffee planting project were the culmination of his school year. In six years the coffee plant will bear the first fruits, Jonny will come back at the latest then to harvest what he has planted. Since 2016, Jonny has been back in Berlin at the Sophie-Scholl School. His first trip in the autumn holidays of 2016 brought him back to IGS to visit his friends and teachers.”

“Two years ago we decided to transfer Adrian (11) and Angelica (8) to the International German School HCMC (IGS) after years at a different international school. We had had many concerns about starting German as a completely new language after having studied Vietnamese, English and Mandarin. Fortunately, IGS offered an intensive summer course that helped overcome this jump into the deep end. I was surprised at how much both had learned after only three months. Our daughter, especially, was afraid of being torn away from existing friendships, not being able to understand enough to follow the lesson, etc.
Adrian was less concerned about it. After initial language challenges, the German skills were a bit flimzy at the end of the first year but quite good. During the second year, Angelica obviously felt confident in the language – because she started speaking German with me. And now, after the end of the second year, both are pretty fluent – to my astonishment, and much better than I had ever expected them to be. Adrian has also managed to achieve a good intermediate level in French. We are all proud of Adrian’s and Angelica’s linguistic achievements – thanks to the great support of the IGS teachers – THANK YOU.”

“The IGS has earned a deserved place in a competitive environment and has acquired an excellent reputation within the German-speaking community. The school is constantly being developed by a motivated and committed management team. This offers the students a harmonious and educational environment. The IGS embraces important values and enables superlative individual, contemporary schooling. “

I would like to express my opinion about the IGS from the perspective of an intern. The efforts to welcome us warmly at the school have definitely been successful. From day one, I have felt very comfortable and well looked after at the IGS. The college of teachers always strives to achieve a lively exchange amongst themselves in order to guarantee the students the best possible education, and to constantly promote the development of the school. I found the handling of digitization at the school particularly positive. The IGS is a good example of how technical aids can be integrated very well into the lessons and thus support learning. Despite some language barriers, the small class sizes enable individual and differentiated support for the students. The only negative point for me as a physical education teacher is the limited exercise time in physical education classes due to the lack of sports facilities on the campus. I am grateful for all the experiences that I have been able to have at the IGS so far.