On September 13th, 2024, at Hall 602, 97 Vo Van Tan Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City Open University collaborated with National Geographic Learning, hosted a seminar titled Action for Change: The Power of Inner Drive.

The program aimed to help students and alumni understand the role of personal motivation in nurturing professional passion and promoting positive actions towards the future, as well as gaining a deeper understanding of the importance of applying English - a powerful tool for effective communication, building relationships, and making meaningful strides in one's chosen career path.

Program overview

Attending the event, there were: Representing Ho Chi Minh City Open University: Dr. Le Xuan Truong - Vice President; Dr. Nguyen Thuy Nga - Dean of Faculty of Foreign Languages; Representing National Geographic Learning: Ms. Kitty Zhang - Asia Marketing Manager, Accademic & Content-based English; Mr. Luong Duy Anh - Country Manager, along with staff, employees of various units, and a large number of students and alumni. Also present was the speaker, Ruben Salgado Escudero - explorer and photographer for National Geographic magazine.

Students attending the program

Speaking at the event, Dr. Le Xuan Truong, Vice President, said: "Ho Chi Minh City Open University, and National Geographic Learning have long been sustainable partners in the field of language teaching and learning. The University always wants to apply practice to the classroom through real-life materials, culture, and inspiring stories. Therefore, the University always seeks opportunities to cooperate in organizing seminars for students."

Dr. Le Xuan Truong, Vice President speaking at the event

From a boy passionate about the Mario game - an adventure game, speaker Ruben Salgado Escudero has become a famous explorer with a journey of exploring more than 60 countries. At the seminar, the speaker deeply analyzed how inner motivation, stemming from passion, hobbies, and personal values, can become a powerful energy source to drive us to overcome all difficulties, thereby shaping our career paths and creating positive changes. The speaker strongly inspired young people, proving that dreams can come true.

Speaker Ruben Salgado Escudero - explorer, photographer for National Geographic magazine presenting at the seminar

Students asking questions at the program

Coming from a Spanish-speaking country, Ruben faced many difficulties in communicating when he came to other countries. Therefore, he made great efforts to learn English and realized that this language is a key to communication to explore the world. Through that, Ruben wants to send a message to students that mastering English not only opens up communication opportunities but is also the key to pursuing passions.

Speaker Ruben Salgado Escudero answering students' questions

Explorer and photographer Ruben Salgado Escudero not only shared about his journey of exploring the world but also shared valuable experiences about photography. According to Ruben, the secret to taking a beautiful photo is genuine feeling. He shared: "Feel from yourself, feel the beautiful moment and that will become a beautiful picture". Besides, Ruben also emphasized the importance of practicing regularly to gain more experiences and knowledge, discovering more new things around.

Speaker Ruben Salgado Escudero introducing the direction of light when taking photos

Participants took picture at the event