OVERVIEW
Luong Van Can Foundation (LVCF) was established as a non-governmental, non-profit organisation under Decision no: 4561-QD-UBND dated 12 September 2014 by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee. On the 10th of April 2015, the Fund officially announced its establishment and publicized its philanthropic activities.
LVCF aims to develop a new generation of highly skilled professionals beneficial for Vietnam’s social and economic growth. Through its fundraising efforts, LVCF endeavors to provide post-graduate scholarships for outstanding Vietnamese students to study in countries with world-class educational systems. Furthermore, the Foundation will dedicate a portion of its budget to the provision of scholarships for students with disabilities, students with lower-income backgrounds, and students that live in isolated areas to pursue higher education within the country.
The advisors of the Foundation consist of scholars and experts in the field of academic who share the objective of to nurture young talent. The main sources of funding consist of corporations operating within Vietnam, individuals from both in and outside the country, as well as scholarships and tuition waivers granted by both national and international universities.
The Foundation is named after Luong Van Can, a Confucian scholar, who acknowledged the perils of root learning and the prevalent examination-oriented education system. This motivated Luong Van Can to dedicate himself to the propagation of revolutionary ideas and the development of the people’s intellectual standards in his efforts to bring prosperity to the people and strengthen the nation. In addition to his role as a teacher, Luong Van Can was also a savvy businessman. His book, entitled “Kim co Cach ngon’ (Maxims for All Ages), discusses “the morality of wealth creation” for Vietnamese people, asserting that businesses should be run with virtue, integrity and morality and that “honesty is the secret of success for any business person”.
Some remarkable milestones of LVCF since its establishment:
- 2014: being established
- 09/2015: awarded the first 70 undergraduate scholarships for students within the country.
- 09/2017: awarded the first postgraduate scholarship for students pursuing education abroad.
- 09/2017: started to awarded postgraduate scholarships for students attending domestic universities.
- 10/2017: synchronously implemented company tours, mentorship and training programs throughout the school year.
- 05/2018: opened for online scholarship application.
VISION
To raise / develop a skillful and competent work force committing to contributing to the community, meeting the country’s developmental needs, and creating positive changes in the society.
MISSION
Supports and enables young, motivated Vietnamese who wish to contribute to the society, in achieving comprehensive personal development during their higher education (either at undergraduate and graduate levels).The Foundation works with its partners including government agencies, organizations, companies, schools and individuals to grant scholarships for qualified students to pursue their study in Vietnam and overseas, as well as to provide skill-based training, mindset training, and development orientation.
CORE VALUES
Kindness – Integrity – Inclusiveness – Sustainable development – Equity – Empowerment
To celebrate its 10th anniversary (2014 – 2024), the Luong Van Can Foundation introduces six core values that support the organisation’s growth. With these core values, the Foundation is a place where students are supported, cared for, and motivated to grow. The community, partners and society will continue to support us. We will keep growing sustainably, spread positive values and make a deep impact on the community.
- Kindness: Kindness is a foundational value that we always work to spread. We promote caring, sharing, and supporting, not only for personal gain but also for the community development. This helps people build positive relationships, brings the community together, and creates happiness.
- Integrity: At the Luong Van Can Foundation, integrity is one of our top priorities. We make sure every decision is clear and open. We take responsibility for our words and actions. This helps us build trust with our sponsors, partners, students, and the community.
- Inclusiveness: At the Luong Van Can Foundation, we create a safe place where students grow up. We aim to build a welcoming community. We respect differences and compassion to everyone.
- Sustainable Development: We encourage students to have long-term vision instead of focusing only on short-term gains. This builds a foundation for a sustainable future.
- Equity: We share opportunities equally among students by personalizing our support for each individual. This ensures every student gets the right resources for their unique situation and goals. It helps them overcome personal and social barriers so they can grow.
- Empowerment: We encourage students to pursue lifelong learning. We help them improve their knowledge, skills, and critical thinking, and gain experience. This allows them to reach their full potential and go beyond their limits.
QUALITIES OF LUONG VAN CAN STUDENTS
INTEGRITY – NOVELTY – SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY – PIONEERING – INTELLECTUAL COMPETENCE – RESILIENCE – EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
![Lương Văn Can và phong trào Đông kinh nghĩa thục [P1]](https://lvchn.edu.vn/images/2020/01/21/tri-si-luong-van-can.jpg)
Luong Van Can, also known by his courtesy name “On Nhu”, was born in the Year of the Tiger in 1854 in Nhi Khe Village, Thuong Tin District, Ha Dong Province, now part of Hanoi.
At the age of 21, he passed the provincial imperial examination and earned the title of “Cử nhân”. He was appointed by the imperial court as an education official in Hoai Duc District and was later invited by the French colonial authorities to join the Hanoi City Council. However, he declined both offers and chose instead to dedicate himself to education. This was not a retreat from public life, but a deliberate choice: he chose to pursue resistance through knowledge, education, and the spirit of national self-reliance.
As a Confucian scholar who championed true learning, Luong Van Can soon recognized the dangers of rote learning and an examination-oriented education system — one that trained people to pass exams rather than to open their minds or serve the country. He studied the ideas of reformers from Japan, China, and France in search of a different educational path for the Vietnamese people. To him, raising the people’s intellectual standards was the foundation for building an independent, prosperous, and civilized nation.
In 1907, together with Nguyen Quyen and other patriotic scholars, he founded Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc at No. 4 Hang Dao Street, Hanoi. It was a tuition-free private school that operated openly and lawfully, with the goal of “enlightening the people’s minds, strengthening the people’s spirit, and improving the people’s livelihoods.” The school rejected rote learning, introduced new ideas, promoted cultural development, and encouraged the use of Chữ Quốc Ngữ, the Vietnamese Romanized script. It was an educational revolution not only in content, but also in philosophy: education was not a privilege, but the foundation upon which a nation could rise on its own.
Luong Van Can’s educational philosophy extended far beyond the classroom. His legacy was not measured by degrees or official titles, but by the belief that knowledge, when shared widely, inclusively, and without self-interest, is the longest and most sustainable path to building a country.
More than a century later, the values that Luong Van Can upheld remain deeply relevant. In a constantly changing world, Vietnam needs young people equipped with knowledge, competence, a sense of responsibility, and a genuine desire to serve the community. The Luong Van Can Scholarship Foundation was established to carry forward the educational spirit he left behind: believing in the potential of young people, providing them with knowledge and opportunities, and enabling each generation to contribute to the country through their abilities and dedication. We believe that investing in education not only changes the life of an individual but also helps create positive change for the community and the nation.
Board Members
Ms. Nguyen Minh Tam
Pressident
CEO of Norfolk Group
Mr. Nguyen Viet Chi
Vice President
CEO of Viet Chi Hung Real Estate JSC
Ms. Pham Thuy Tien
Member
Former President of Luong Van Can Fund
Management Board
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thao
Managing Director
Advisors
Dr. David Beanland
Emeritus Professor
Former Vice-Chancellor of RMIT University Australia (1999-2000)
Former President of RMIT International University VN (2000-2004)
Dr. Michael Mann
Chancellor of Torrens University Australia
Former Australian Ambassador to Vietnam
Founding President of RMIT International University VN
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hoang
Chairman of Norfolk Group
In addition to financial assistance with tuition and recurring living expenses, Luong Van Can Fund also frequently organises activities to enhance the potentials of the scholars.
English classes: targets at students yet achieve good English commands (equivalent to IELTS level of 6.5 or below). This is a mandatory program in the scholarship package, in which the scholarship recipients are given designed courses according to their current English level, studying at English language centers partnering with the Fund.
Skill training sessions: Luong Van Can Fund organizes soft skill training courses for students on a monthly basis with prestigious speakers who are experts in their own fields. The scope of the training programs covers skills such as leadership, design thinking, reasoning, personal financial management, emotional balancing, project management, professionalism, self-learning, self-understanding, conflict resolution, mock interviews, etc. It not only equips students with necessary skills for the job market but also plays a vital role in students’ personal development.
Mentorship Program: depending on the major, LVC students will be connected with mentors who are professionals and experts in many different fields and companies, with a view to facilitating students with career guidance and advice regarding their own problems.
Community projects: are carried out by Luong Van Can students, under the guidance from their mentors. The projects are launched with a view to give the scholars a chance to assist disadvantaged people in the community, thus spreading the “Pay it forward” spirit, contributing to communal life even if they may have the least resources. This is also an opportunity for students to apply their expertise and skills into practices. After years of initiation, many projects from different fields (health, environment, education, etc.) have been implemented, bringing remarkable values to their beneficiaries.
Company tours: This is an activity in which students partake to visit various enterprises partnering with Luong Van Can Fund. It enables scholarship recipients to forecast the current demands from the job market as well as get an insight into the core values that are cherished by many corporations.Some businesses that have worked with Fund students include: Unilever Vietnam, KPMG, Galaxy Group, Acecook Vietnam, Kerry Express, Vietnam – Singapore Industrial Park, Yakult Factory, Officience Informatics Company, Giao Hang Nhanh, etc.
“The Change Agent” Competition is organized and operated by Luong Van Can students. The aim of the event is to seek youngsters with solutions to existing social problems and to implement feasible ideas into managing current issues, under sponsorship packages from businesses with commitment to community development.
Activities within the students’ clubs range from sharings with alumni, English club, sports day, book exchange, etc, all of which are organized by Luong Van Can students.
Class of Kindness
