MSC ACCOUNTANCY

From “Challenge Conqueror” To ASEAN Development Scholar: Phuong Nguyen Shares Her MACC Journey

As a self-professed “challenge conqueror,” Phuong Nguyen was drawn to problem-solving from an early age. Growing up in Vietnam, she noticed many barriers to education and upskilling in the communities around her – and she aspired to make a difference.

“I grew up in an underprivileged background, but I’ve been fortunate to participate in many international competitions and events,” she shared. “I wanted to advance my skills in developed countries such as Singapore and use this knowledge to contribute to communities in Vietnam.”

One essential skill set that Phuong hoped to hone was accountancy. Having completed a Bachelor of Business Administration focusing on Finance, she sought an opportunity to further her interest in numbers. “I knew I wanted to pursue accounting as a career in the future,” she said.

The MSc Accountancy (MACC) programme at Nanyang Business School (NBS) presented such an opportunity, combining rigorous training with rich international experiences. Clinching the ASEAN Development Scholarship was the icing on the cake, offering her the financial freedom to pursue higher education and the tools to make an impact. 

Studying in Asia’s startup and financial hub

When choosing a MACC programme, Singapore was top of mind for Phuong. As a multicultural melting pot, Singapore was the perfect place to experience different cultures while staying close to home.

“Singapore is a financial hub in ASEAN where you can get to know a lot of investors, and there’s a vibrant startup community here. Besides, the country shares a robust economic relationship with Vietnam, with numerous investment opportunities arising from strategic partnership.” she added.

Discovering that NBS was ranked first in Asia for Accounting Research, Phuong was keen to learn from the school’s renowned faculty. She also saw that the programme’s Data Analytics specialisation would give her an edge in a data-driven world.

“During my internships at Big Four firms like PwC and EY-Parthenon, I realised that data-driven decision-making has become crucial. Being able to handle big data would be a huge bonus in securing a job,” she explained. “Data analytics skills are also highly applicable across industries. This versatility can open up diverse career opportunities for me.”

Unlocking new challenges, exploring new cultures

Phuong is now well into her first trimester at NBS and reveals that her classes have challenged her to solve problems in new ways.

“The MACC programme has a strong focus on case studies. We don’t just study the formulas to complete assignments – we also need to apply them to real-life problems,” she said. “It’s challenging, of course, but I feel rewarded at the end of the day because I’m learning a lot.”

Hard work feels easier with friends, and Phuong has already formed friendships with peers of diverse cultures – from Singapore, Saudi Arabia, China, India, and beyond.

“NBS held a Networking Day with lots of food and ice-cream, where we could eat and mingle with one another,” she recalled. “I made many friends there, not only from the MACC programme but also from other graduate programmes.”

Phuong also fondly remembers a Singapore tour organised by the NTU Graduate Students’ Association, which brought participants around some of the country’s top attractions. “We played games, flew kites, and saw Gardens by the Bay lit up at night,” she shared.

Giving back to the community as an ASEAN Development Scholar

To support outstanding participants in their studies, NBS offers the ASEAN Development Scholarship to citizens of ASEAN member countries outside Singapore. Recipients of this scholarship receive a 40% or 100% waiver on tuition fees.

Having prepared intensively for six months to secure this scholarship, there’s no doubt that Phuong’s win was well-deserved. Her preparation included a thorough self-assessment to identify her strengths and career goals in line with the scholarship criteria.

“Different business schools look out for different qualities, so you must refine your application accordingly,” she advised. “For the ASEAN Development Scholarship, for example, I spent considerable time reflecting on my academic achievements, leadership experiences, and community involvement.”

Ultimately, Phuong believes her passion for community service helped her application to stand out from the crowd.

“Many people have asked whether my academic achievements or work experience helped me win the scholarship,” she shared. “I think that, above all, you need to be willing to contribute to your community. Whether it’s giving back to your home country, to NTU, or to ASEAN, you should leave a positive impact.”

One key way that Phuong is making an impact is through Internship Seeker – a Vietnamese internship platform. As co-founder of Internship Seeker, she is helping hundreds of students discover internship opportunities they might not otherwise have had access to.

“In Vietnam, we don’t have a lot of established channels to find internships, and many hires are based on personal referrals,” she explained. “My friends and I had the idea of building a public database to collate any internship news we heard about across different sectors.”

Now that she is an ASEAN Development Scholar, Phuong remains passionate about helping her peers learn more about opportunities at NBS. During her enrolment, she was introduced to Unibuddy – a platform for MSc participants to answer questions about their life at NBS – and decided to sign up as an ambassador.

“Anyone can reach out to me and learn more about applications, the scholarship process, or the school environment,” she said.

Gaining the skills to build new solutions

After she completes her MACC journey, Phuong plans to go into auditing at a Big Four firm – where she anticipates that her degree will set her on the right path.

“Studying at NBS gives me certain exemptions for professional qualifications, such as the Singapore Chartered Accountant Qualification,” she explained. “Having data analytics skills would also give me ‘shortcuts’ to solving problems because accountants have to work with a huge volume of data daily.”

However, once she has accumulated enough technical experience, Phuong dreams of starting a venture that draws on her newfound skills to improve lives in Vietnam.

“I’m passionate about education, and I want to bring back all my advanced knowledge and training to improve the future workforce of Vietnam,” she shared. “Right now, I’m honing different skill sets like accounting and data analytics to become more versatile so I can find new solutions that make an impact.”