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Education is not only about academic success. At British Vietnamese International School Hanoi (BVIS Hanoi), it is also about preparing students to be compassionate leaders who understand their responsibility to the world around them. This is where social impact comes in.
For us, social impact means giving students the chance to contribute meaningfully to their community, to see the difference their actions can make, and to grow as empathetic, responsible young people. From Early Years to Sixth Form, students are encouraged to serve others, lead initiatives, and understand their place in society, both at school in Vietnam and beyond.
“We're not just educating children in order for them to be able to take from the world. We're educating them so that they can be the greatest person they can be. And part of being a truly great person, member of society and leader, is to give as well as to receive,” shared Malcolm Wood, Head of Primary.
This commitment runs through every part of school life. From the age of two all the way up to graduation at 18, every student plays an active role in making a difference.
For Mr Wood, “It’s so much more important than just asking children to bring in money given by parents. When they give their own labour and work with their own hands, they form a very real, tangible connection with the people they are serving.”
At BVIS Hanoi, students are not only participants in social impact; they are leaders. As Claire Slowther, Head of Secondary, shared, service learning helps students see the wider world and understand how their actions can make a difference. She explained that as students progress through secondary school, “service learning instils and teaches really strong leadership skills. We can see that our students go even further by not just participating in school-led initiatives, but leading their own.”
A recent example shows this leadership in action. A group of Year 12 students organised goodie bags and delivered them to K2 Hospital for patients undergoing cancer treatment. Claire described how this project came about: the students “saw something that they wanted to do and they felt strongly about, they organised it, they led it.” This hands-on initiative demonstrates how social impact at BVIS Hanoi nurtures empathy and responsibility alongside leadership skills.
Student-led initiatives extend beyond the secondary years. Piers Roderick, Deputy Head of Secondary, highlighted how older students create and drive their own community service projects across Hanoi, from partnerships with elderly clubs to orphanages. “They are the ones leading on this and then introducing it into our school.”
Through these opportunities, every student learns not only to serve but to lead, taking ownership of their ideas and seeing firsthand the impact they can have on their community.
Recognised on the global stage, BVIS Hanoi has earned multiple international awards for its social impact initiatives, including the Times Educational Supplement Community Service Award and the International School ISC Award. These honours reflect the extraordinary contributions of students locally, nationally, and globally, and highlight the school’s leadership in fostering meaningful community engagement.
BVIS Hanoi has also been recognised by Nord Anglia Education, receiving the two highest social impact grants in the region. These grants provide additional resources to expand partnerships and support within the community. The school was the first in the region to earn the Nord Anglia Social Impact Distinction Award, setting a benchmark for others and underscoring BVIS Hanoi’s leadership in empowering students to lead, serve, and make tangible contributions to society.
Through these accolades, BVIS Hanoi demonstrates that its approach to social impact, empowering students to lead, serve, and make tangible contributions, is both meaningful and exemplary on a global scale.
At BVIS Hanoi, social impact is more than a programme; it is central to the student experience. Through service learning, hands-on projects, and student-led initiatives, every child learns the value of empathy, responsibility, and leadership.
As Claire Slowther reflected, “Developing those leadership skills and a sense of the wider world around them is really important for preparing our students for the outside world.”
By engaging directly with their communities, students leave school not only with strong academic foundations but with the confidence, compassion, and initiative to make a real difference in the world.
From Early Years to Sixth Form, students are encouraged to lead, serve, and see firsthand the power of their actions, preparing them to thrive both in Vietnam and beyond.
Discover how BVIS Hanoi is creating the next generation of changemakers.
