Gen Z Asks – HUFLIT Experts Answer: In the AI Era, Is Studying Languages Still a “Passport” into the Global Market?

In the context of powerfully developing technology, especially the explosion of AI, the story of choosing to study a major in the language field group no longer seems as simple as before. Many young people love foreign languages but hesitate, worried that what they learn today may be replaced by technology in the future. 

That is why Episode 2 of the “Gen Z Understand Your Field” livestream series was produced as an open dialogue space, where the common concerns of students and parents about the English Language and Chinese Language field group are viewed from many different angles – from the training programme and the learning environment to the real needs of the labour market. Through that, it helps candidates gain more of a basis to understand the field better before making an important choice for their university journey. 

Accompanying the programme are three guests representing three different perspectives: M.A. Trần Nam Anh – lecturer at the HUFLIT Faculty of Foreign Languages, representing the training perspective of the English Language programme; M.A. Phạm Lê Thị Bảo Dung – lecturer at the HUFLIT Faculty of Foreign Languages, representing the training perspective of the Chinese Language programme; and Ms Bùi Hoàng Ngọc Diễm – Head of HR at Global Care, a HUFLIT alumna of cohort 08, currently accompanying the university as a mentor of the HUFLIT Mentoring programme, bringing the perspective from the labour market itself. 

Under the guidance of MC Quang Thiện, more than two hours of livestream became a multi-dimensional dialogue, where candidates’ very real concerns were answered with an academic perspective, training experience and real recruitment needs. 

Below are the most notable questions raised in the programme. 

“It’s the AI era now – are the English Language or Chinese Language majors still ‘hot’?” 

This was the opening question of the programme, and also the biggest concern of many students today. 

When AI can translate text in just a few seconds, can communicate in multiple languages and even support writing content in many languages, many young people begin to ask: is investing 4 years of university in a language major still worth it? 

Answering this question, M.A. Trần Nam Anh held that AI is a powerful tool, but it cannot completely replace humans in communication. In his view, language is not only words but also culture, nuance, emotion and the ability to read context. A tool may translate the meaning of a sentence correctly, but it does not necessarily understand the speaker’s true “intent”. 

From the business perspective, Ms Bùi Hoàng Ngọc Diễm also agreed that AI does not reduce the value of foreign languages; on the contrary, it is making the requirements for foreign language learners higher. If in the past enterprises needed people who “know a foreign language”, now enterprises need people who can use a foreign language to work, who know how to take advantage of AI as a support tool rather than depending on it. 

The message agreed on by all three guests: foreign languages do not lose their role in the AI era; it only changes the way people use them to create value. 

“What do you study in the English Language and Chinese Language programmes at HUFLIT? Is it just learning the language?” 

One of the most common misconceptions among candidates is thinking that studying a language major means only learning listening, speaking, reading and writing. 

According to M.A. Phạm Lê Thị Bảo Dung, a foreign language is only the first foundation. When they begin their studies, students will start by building a really solid language foundation, but will then be guided into more specific career-application directions such as trade, tourism, teaching, translation and interpreting, or corporate communication. 

Similarly, with the English Language programme, M.A. Trần Nam Anh said the programme not only helps students become good at English but also helps students shape their career capacity. Students learn to be able to use English in many different contexts: the classroom, enterprises, conferences, media, logistics or a bilingual environment. 

The point that both lecturers emphasised is: at HUFLIT, students do not learn a foreign language as a subject, but learn a foreign language as a career tool. 

“If I wasn’t good at English in high school, can I still study the English Language programme?” 

This was a question sent to the livestream quite a lot. 

According to M.A. Trần Nam Anh, the English Language programme has the particularity that the curriculum uses English quite a lot right from the start, so students should have a certain foundation to adapt easily. 

However, “having a foundation” does not mean having to already be good. 

What is more important is whether the learner truly loves foreign languages, whether they are willing to devote a lot of time to it, and whether they have enough perseverance to live with that language every day. 

He also emphasised an interesting concept in training technique: immersive learning – that is, learning by “immersing” yourself in the language, turning the foreign language into a part of everyday life, from listening to music, watching films, reading news and communicating to thinking in the foreign language you are learning. 

For those with that spirit, the starting point is not too big a barrier. 

“If I’ve never studied Chinese, can I choose the Chinese Language programme?” 

If the previous question made many worried because “I’m not good enough”, this question is the concern of those who love Chinese but have never been in contact with this language. 

The answer from M.A. Phạm Lê Thị Bảo Dung is: absolutely you can. 

According to her, the programme is designed so that students can start from zero. Right from the first year, students will learn from the most basic foundations such as pinyin, Chinese characters, pronunciation, grammar and listening – speaking – reading – writing skills, and only then gradually move into the specialisation. 

What the Chinese Language programme needs from students is not an entry foundation, but perseverance. Because this is a language with its own writing system, learners need more perseverance, but once they have got through the initial stage, career opportunities will be very wide open. 

“Is studying at HUFLIT theoretical, or is there a lot of practice?” 

One of the common concerns of candidates when learning about the language field group is: is university study still heavy on theory, or do students really get to “make contact” with the profession right from their school desk? 

From that question, MC Quang Thiện went on to raise a very practical issue: “If you study 4 years of university but are still awkward when going to interviews, still lacking confidence when standing before a recruiter, then are you learning the right way?” 

According to M.A. Trần Nam Anh, this is precisely why HUFLIT chooses an application-oriented training approach. That means students do not only learn to “know”, but must learn to be able to do the work. 

With the English Language programme, that is expressed in every course unit. Students not only learn language skills from the textbook but are also placed into specific career contexts: from practising translation and interpreting through dialogues and handling communication situations, to presenting, debating and working in teams entirely in a foreign language. The goal is for learners to form career reflexes right during the learning process, instead of waiting until they go to work to start adapting. 

From the perspective of the Chinese Language programme, M.A. Phạm Lê Thị Bảo Dung said that spirit is also deployed throughout the training programme. Students get access to many exercises tied to business reality, especially in course units related to trade, professional communication and behavioural culture in an international working environment. Through that, they not only learn the language but also learn how to use the language to handle work. 

In addition to the main curriculum, the learning environment at HUFLIT is also expanded through academic clubs, workshops with enterprises, international exchange activities and many other practice playgrounds. It is those experiences that have helped students gradually build confidence, adaptability and career capacity before entering the labour market. 

“What do you do after graduating? Do foreign languages really offer many job opportunities?” 

This was the part the audience was most interested in. 

According to Ms Bùi Hoàng Ngọc Diễm, one of the common misconceptions is thinking that studying a language can only lead to teaching or interpreting. 

In reality, enterprises today recruit foreign language personnel in many different positions: international customer care, logistics, import-export, project coordination, international sales, human resources, media, tourism – hospitality, aviation… 

More importantly, enterprises do not look for people who “know the language”, but for people who know how to use the language to solve work problems. 

This was also agreed on by the two lecturers. In their view, a foreign language today is like a “career passport” – it does not decide what profession you will do, but it helps you have more doors to step into the profession you want. 

“Why has HUFLIT additionally opened Medical English and Medical Chinese?” 

This was a new point mentioned a great deal in the livestream. 

According to M.A. Trần Nam Anh, the strong development of the international hospital system and the medical tourism trend are creating a very large demand for personnel who are both good at foreign languages and understand the medical environment. 

This opens up new job positions such as medical secretary, international patient coordinator, medical-record support and customer care in the healthcare environment. 

From the business perspective, Ms Bùi Hoàng Ngọc Diễm assessed this as a direction very close to the real needs of the market, especially in the context of rapidly developing healthcare enterprises, international hospitals and medical tourism. 

“If you had to send one piece of advice to candidates who are choosing a major, what would the guests say?” 

Closing the programme, each guest sent a short but very thought-provoking message. 

M.A. Trần Nam Anh advised choosing a major with understanding, not choosing according to trends. 

M.A. Phạm Lê Thị Bảo Dung hopes young people will be perseverant enough with their choice, because a foreign language is a long journey, not a short race. 

As for Ms Bùi Hoàng Ngọc Diễm, the most important question each candidate should ask themselves before choosing a major is: “Do I really want to live with this field of study for many years to come?”  

Closing more than two hours of dialogue, what remained from Episode 2 of the “Gen Z Understand Your Field” series was not only information about the training programme or the career opportunities of the English Language and Chinese Language field group, but also a clear message for young people standing at the threshold of choosing a major: to choose right, you must first understand right. 

Understanding right about the field of study you love, understanding right about your own abilities and interests, and at the same time understanding right about the needs of the labour market – that is the foundation for every decision at the age of 18 to become more solid.