International student mobility to the United States (US) has increased over the past two decades. Despite the increase in numbers, international students may experience racism, nativism, and other forms of discrimination within the US context. Much of the existing literature focus on how international students can assimilate and cope with these issues rather than interrogating the systems of oppression that create negative student experiences. Thus, we utilized critical race theory (CRT) as a framework for interrogating how international student experiences are portrayed in current literature. Although CRT is grounded in US-based legal theory, we argue that CRT must move beyond the rigid confinement within US borders and expand to consider how transnationalism and global exchange contributes to the fluidity and applicability of this theory. We also provide recommendations for critical race praxis, with an emphasis on implications for practice, theory, and future research.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore graduate students’ perception of how soft skills are developed at a transnational university in Vietnam, and how these soft skills contribute to their perceived employability. Design/methodology/approach: This study utilized a qualitative case study method. In depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 graduate students at Vietnamese–German University. Findings: Findings suggest that faculty utilized classroom-based practices to provide students the opportunity to enhance soft skills that are perceived to contribute to employability, such as skills related to independent work, interpersonal relationships and the ability to work in global contexts. In addition, interacting with international faculty played a large part in providing students the opportunity to develop their independent skills, critical thinking, communication and cultural competence. Practical implications: Implications include multiple approaches, including faculty training, curriculum development and learner preparation. Institutions must consider how their curriculum contributes to the development of soft skills and how international faculty are prepared to engage meaningfully with students, particularly within specific global and political contexts. In addition, graduate students must also be prepared to engage in a classroom that promotes group work, class presentations and independent work. Originality/value: This study provides insight on how a transnational institution can foster soft skills for employability in graduate students in Vietnam. Considering the growth of collaborative transnational institutions in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, findings and implications from this study provide recommendations on how to better prepare graduates for employability within a global economy.

Transnational education and English medium instruction (EMI) has grown in Asia in response to rapid globalisation. As a result, Vietnam has invested in creating new model universities that partner with international institutions as a way to supply the demand for quality higher education. Yet, few studies examine the influence of EMI on student learning, particularly within the Vietnamese context. The purpose of this grounded theory study is to examine the influence of EMI on the learning experiences of students attending three transnational universities in Vietnam. Based on participants’ experiences, a model was created that highlighted specific areas that affected student learning: speaking and writing English in classes, limitations of instructors speaking English, and the ‘double barrier’ of English language, and discipline-based concepts learning at transnational universities. Recommendations for practice include creating intentional out-of-class learning opportunities and promoting active learning strategies as ways to facilitate student learning at transnational universities who use EMI.