Who stays, who leaves, and why? English language teacher attrition at Vietnamese universities

Teacher turnover has become a growing concern in many countries around the world because of the associated staffing shortages and the unavoidable impact on educational quality. This study aims to better understand teachers’ motivation to leave or to stay in the profession in the context of English language teaching in the Vietnamese university sector. Data collected from 30 semi-structured interviews with EFL teachers from 14 universities in Vietnam revealed an array of factors driving attrition. Findings reveal that Vietnamese university EFL teachers’ turnover intentions included a desire to pursue a passion other than teaching, job enthusiasm erosion, job-related stress, workplace conflicts, heavy workloads, and personal-related reasons. However, not all teachers translated their leaving intentions into actual behaviours. A negotiation process involving different mediators was undertaken before teachers decided to leave or to remain in teaching. Findings also highlight the importance of intrinsic motivation in keeping teachers engaged and committed to teaching.