I. Luu Minh Hien and His Dream of Studying in the UK
In recent years, many students studying abroad or preparing to do so have encountered a familiar face at British Council events: Lưu Minh Hiển, CEO of WISE Education & Consulting Co., Ltd. (Đà Nẵng), who is often invited as a guest speaker to share insights from his years studying in the UK.
His impressive academic achievements continue to inspire many learners. A runner-up valedictorian from Lê Quý Đôn High School for the Gifted (Đà Nẵng, 2008), Hiển graduated with First-Class Honors, achieving an 83% overall average.
Hiển was ranked among the top 0.5% of students at The University of Manchester, a school with over 40,000 students. Moreover, he was the valedictorian of his major: International Business, Finance, and Economics at the Manchester Business School.
To further enhance his expertise, he pursued a Master of Science degree at the prestigious London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in the UK’s capital.
LSE’s reputation speaks for itself—it ranks as the 2nd best university in the world for Finance and Economics, behind only Harvard University and ahead of both Oxford and Cambridge.
What makes Lưu Minh Hiển—now CEO of WISE ENGLISH—even more remarkable is that, while still a student, his exceptional English proficiency and financial knowledge earned him tutoring opportunities in the UK.
His students included Oxford University undergraduates and even Master’s students, despite the fact that he was still pursuing his own degree.
Additionally, he taught Vietnamese language to British entrepreneurs, CEOs, and corporate leaders. His teaching methods and engaging approach received consistent 5-star ratings from all his students.
Hiển’s unique learning techniques didn’t just help him master English—they proved effective across various subjects, enabling him to help British, American, and European students excel in Economics, Finance, Accounting, and Mathematics.
When asked why a Vietnamese student would dare to teach native English speakers in their own language, Hiển humbly responded:
“I may not be as fluent as they are in their language, but what they needed from me was my knowledge in subjects like Math, Economics, and Finance. So, I simply helped them. I believe that confidence, overcoming fear, and taking action were the key factors that made it possible.”
II. Achieving Success Through a “Special” Learning Method
Lưu Minh Hiển’s outstanding achievements didn’t stem from innate language talent. In fact, during his school years, he had little interest in foreign languages or social sciences.
“I only focused on natural sciences, while my scores in social subjects were just around 5 or 6. I used to think that I could do well in math and science, but social studies just weren’t for me. However, when I discovered Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), I completely changed my perspective and found a new way to learn by applying NLP techniques to study more effectively.”
By the end of that year, Hiển finished as the runner-up valedictorian in Đà Nẵng’s city-wide graduation exam, earning 9.5 in Literature and a perfect 10 in History—just missing out on becoming the top scorer. This achievement paved the way for him to receive a scholarship to study abroad.
“The key to my success was applying language learning and cognitive science research (NLP) into my studies,” Hiển explained.
During his high school years, Hiển realized that his English skills were extremely poor. One defining moment came when a group of foreigners asked him for directions, but he couldn’t form a complete sentence to help them.
“That moment made me question why, after years of studying English in school, I still couldn’t communicate properly. I knew I had to change my approach. I asked myself: ‘How does a child naturally learn a language?’ From there, I searched for techniques that allow for deep, fast retention. I applied NLP methods, and it changed everything.”
By leveraging NLP-based learning techniques, Hiển dedicated himself to studying English rigorously, sleeping only 5 hours per day for an entire month. He practiced IELTS speaking alone daily during this intensive training period—and ultimately achieved his IELTS certification in just one month, reaching the score required for studying abroad.
According to Hiển, finding the right method made English learning faster and more effective. Instead of traditional methods for mastering the four language skills, he revolutionized his approach to overcome what many considered an impossible challenge.
This method, now the foundation of WISE ENGLISH, is based on:
The 6-Step Vocabulary Learning Method
Automated Listening Techniques
NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) principles
Linguistics-based learning (Language Science)
These techniques have helped cut learning time by 80%, enabling learners to achieve results in a fraction of the usual time. “After returning to Vietnam, I deeply understood the struggles that many Vietnamese students face with English. I was once like them—struggling and frustrated—so I wanted to share the techniques I discovered to help the younger generation find a more effective path to mastering English.”
That realization led Hien to establish WISE ENGLISH, which he proudly describes as “a trusted learning center for young learners”—especially for IELTS preparation. Today, WISE ENGLISH is a certified partner of British Council and IDP, the two official organizations that own and administer the IELTS exam.
Many students at WISE have exceeded their expectations:
Aiming for 6.0, but achieving 6.5 overall
Others scoring 7.5 or even 8.0 IELTS overall
“Seeing my students succeed beyond their goals is my greatest pride,” Hien concluded.
