THE GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM ASSIGNS VNU THE COUNTRY’S BIG TASKS

On November 28, 2021, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam chaired a working session with the leaders of Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU). The Prime Minister praised the results achieved by VNU’s managers, scientists, faculty, and students.

The Prime Minister underlined: “On the basis of inheritance, stabilization, innovation and development, VNU has a team of tremendously potential faculty and scientists, a glorious and prideworthy history with many leaders of the Party, State and agencies in the political system being its alumni. VNU has also received love, trust and admiration from the people; recognition in international ranking tables; attention of the Party and State through the granting of more than 1,000 hectares to construct VNU campus in Hoa Lac”.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a working session with the leaders of Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) on November 28, 2021

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh noted that VNU needed to mobilize its resources to further develop and enhance its status to help raise the people's intellectual level, train high-quality human resources, foster talents and efficiently serve the three strategic breakthroughs in the new period when the whole country is implementing the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress. VNU should develop a mechanism to drastically unlock the potentials of its human resources to enable them to make further contributions; harmoniously, rationally and effectively handle the relationship between the State, society and the market as well as promote public-private partnership. The Prime Minister also urged VNU to vigorously implement the VNU Hoa Lac Campus Construction Investment project following a “5-in-1” model including a talent training centre; a modern research and technology transfer centre; an innovation centre at national and international level; a smart and modern university city; a centre for public-private partnership testing and research training.

VIETNAM’S PRIME MINISTER APPOINTS PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI

At the 11th meeting of the 14th National Assembly, Chairman of VNU’s Board, former VNU President Nguyen Kim Son was appointed Minister of Education and Training.

On June 24, 2021, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed Decision No. 998/QD-TTg on the appointment of Prof. Le Quan, Deputy Secretary of Ca Mau Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of Ca Mau Provincial People's Committee, Deputy Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, former VNU Vice President, as VNU President.

In his inauguration speech, VNU's new President Le Quan expressed his determination and efforts to join hands with VNU’s officials, lecturers, scientists, and students to build VNU into a truly great university that plays a pioneer’s role in reforming Vietnam's higher education to affirm its high position nationally and internationally.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam handed over the Decision on the appointment of VNU President to Prof. Le Quan on June 28, 2021

On December 27, 2021, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam signed Decision No. 2206/QD-TTg on the appointment of Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Hieu, VNU Party Committee Deputy Secretary, Director of VNU Organization-Personnel Department, as VNU Vice President.

VIBRANT COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

Though badly affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, VNU's domestic and international cooperation activities remained vibrant in the past year, contributing to the affirmation of VNU’s prestige, brand, and stance in Vietnam’s educational system and among those of the region. VNU’s cooperation activities were diverse with many effective training and research cooperation programs, which demonstrated VNU's strengths and cooperation potentials. The organization of international conferences and seminars has prospered with 60 conferences and seminars organized by VNU’s affiliates in collaboration with international partners in a blended live and online format.

VNU leaders worked with Central Committee’s Economic Commission on October 19, 2021

In 2021, VNU signed 21 cooperation agreements with domestic and foreign partners, creating favorable conditions for promoting the implementation of specific cooperation activities in training, fostering human resources, researching and transferring technology as well as the activities of policy consultation, criticism, and recommendation.

In 2021, the 6th International Conference on Vietnamese Studies (ICVNS 2021) with the theme "Vietnam’s Active Integration and Sustainable Development" co-hosted by the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and Vietnam National University, Hanoi officially took place on both online and offline platforms. ICVNS2021 aimed at researching for the sustainable development of Vietnam and contributed to the regional and global stability, cooperation, and sustainable development.  The forum "Vietnam Studies: Achievements and Prospects," chaired by VNU within the framework of ICVNS 2021, was a place for scientists, State managers, social activists, and policymakers to share and evaluate the achievements in the research and teaching of Vietnamese studies over the time and point out existing problems, limitations as well as identify the development direction of Vietnamese Studies in the coming time.

The forum "Vietnam Studies: Achievements and Prospects," chaired by VNU within the framework of ICVNS 2021 on October 28, 2021

Within the framework of the Australian Education Cooperation Program at VNU, the short-term training programs for excellent English teachers in Southeast Asia conducted by IDP IELTS experts attracted 200 participants, including 47 VNU’s officials and lecturers. More than 100 VNU’s students joined the training session on curriculum vitae writing and interviewing skills in English as well as some other training courses including Tips for getting the maximum IELTS score from IELTS experts; Improving your English proficiency – Realizing the goal of getting into university and studying overseas; Exhibition of Education in Australia with the participation of 22 Australian universities.

PROMOTING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND PROMULGATING NEW UNIVERSITY GOVERNANCE POLICIES

Digital transformation is being strongly implemented at VNU. Management activities within VNU are currently implemented through convenient softwares and interconnected databases. The application of digital technology in teaching and learning as well as building and developing a digital database is increasingly expanded to assist learners in their studies anytime and anywhere. In response to the complicated development of the Covid-19 epidemic, VNU implemented online teaching and learning throughout the first semester of the 2021-2022 school year.

Science and technology activities have integrated digital technology into science and technology products and research tasks aimed at forming products with the application of artificial intelligence, contributing to the promoting of product commercialization in the digital economy.

In 2021, VNU promulgated many new policies and regulations to promote training activities, scientific research and lay the ground for the development of VNU at present and in the future.

On December 27, 2021, VNU President signed Decision No. 4326/QĐ-ĐHQGHN promulgating the Regulations on working regimes for VNU’s lecturers with many radical points driven by international integration. Implementing the policy of prioritizing highly-qualified scientists, VNU assigned VNU Hospital to build a program for high-quality individual health counseling and periodic health checks for VNU’s professors and associate professors.

VNU built and implemented the project "Investing in the development of basic science majors" in the direction of priority investments and enhancing these majors either at the proposal of VNU’s members or at the request of VNU to train and develop scientific and technological human resources for the country and highly-qualified researchers and theorists for the Party and central agencies.

To increase high-quality resources, develop highly-qualified lecturers and scientists for the country's development and integration, in 2021, VNU approved the project "Incubating young scientists at VNU to 2025 with a vision to 2030".

On November 19, 2021, VNU President signed Decision No. 3688/QĐ-ĐHQGHN promulgating the Regulations on scholarship support for doctoral students and post-doctoral trainees at VNU. Accordingly, VNU provides scholarships up to 100 million VND/year for doctoral students and 120 million VND/year for young doctors with excellent research and international publication capability. This policy is expected to have a great impact, creating breakthroughs in improving the quality and efficiency of VNU's training and scientific research activities.

In addition, VNU has decided to expand talent training programs to create better conditions for disadvantaged students having good study results to study at VNU. The purpose of building high-quality, talented training programs is to discover, cultivate, and foster students with outstanding learning and research capability, creativity and passion for research.

The workshop on courses in Engineering - Technology disciplines in the context of Industry 4.0 was co-organized by Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA)

Notably, VNU continued to promote the development of interdisciplinary training programs, in which special priority is given to engineering and technology majors. VNU's engineering and technology majors keep pace with the new trends, thereby increasing resources for VNU's development in the context of university autonomy, in line with the country’s development orientation and requirements for high-quality resources in the new period.

Also in 2021, VNU assigned financial autonomy to several members and affiliates, including the University of Engineering and Technology, the University of Economics and Business, and the School of Interdisciplinary Sciences, for the 2022-2025 period according to the financial autonomy classification of VNU’s public non-business units. This policy contributes to the promotion of the current strongly developing university autonomy.

BREAKTHROUGHS IN THE VNU HOA LAC CAMPUS PROJECT AND VNU’S DETERMINATION TO WELCOME LEARNERS TO STUDY AT HOA LAC CAMPUS

Buildings HT1, HT2 in Zone 4 of VNU University of Science and Dormitory 4 under the VNU Hoa Lac Campus Construction Investment project are ready for nearly 4,000 students to live and study as scheduled. The construction of VNU in Hoa Lac ensures the design mindset of a smart, green, modern, and sustainable university city.

In addition to its effort in land clearance, resource mobilization and implementation of component projects under the VNU Hoa Lac Campus Construction Investment project, VNU's Board of Presidents decided to welcome students to study at the VNU Hoa Lac campus in September 2022. VNU gives priority to the 2022’s enrollees in such broad majors as Engineering - Technology, Social Sciences and Humanities, Economics - Law... under the A + B model with collaboration in inter-institutional, interdisciplinary training among VNU’s affiliates, to study at Hoa Lac campus. Currently, VNU is making efforts to prepare facilities as well as other quality assurance conditions for students to study and live in a green, modern, and advanced university environment based on international standards.

Also in 2021, VNU President signed and promulgated Decision No. 3333/QĐ-ĐHQGHN dated October 28, 2021, on the establishment of the Management Board of the “Vietnam National University Development – VNU, Hanoi" project, referred to as the World Bank Project Management Department, to manage investment projects of constructing essential facilities in Hoa Lac with the credit capital from the World Bank. Later on, on December 17, 2021, VNU President signed Decision No. 4166/QĐ-ĐHQGHN promulgating the Regulations on the organization and operation of the World Bank Project Management Department.

INCREASING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POTENTIALS, PROMOTING THE TRANSFER OF RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS

In the past year, VNU’s science and technology potentials received further investment; the number of international publications continuously increased with 1,100 ISI/Scopus-indexed articles; inventions, patents, and research achievements transfer were strongly promoted. The transfer of research achievements has contributed to effectively solving practical social issues.

Many mechanisms and policies of prioritizing and rewarding scientists and S&T products, such as the Regulations on intellectual property at VNU, Regulations on accreditation, management and development of VNU-level key laboratories, key research centres, ... have been implemented, creating momentum to boost the development of S&T potentials.

Attaching VNU's mission to the country's socio-economic development, VNU continued to demonstrate its national responsibility by chairing and implementing major research programs of great era, national and humanistic values as well as of high scientific and practical significance to the development of the society and the nation, such as the Science and Technology Program for Sustainable Development in the Northwest region, the Vietnam National Gazetteer project, the project of Developing the Vietnamese Studies Learning Resource Centre, the Translation and Promotion of the Quintessence of Oriental Classics project, just to name a few.

Also in 2021, 4 scientific research works were awarded the VNU Prize in Science and Technology. This prize is held every three years to encourage and praise individual or collective works of scientists inside and outside VNU having significant scientific achievements, contributing to forming a favorable academic environment, promoting S&T potentials, and at the same time affirming VNU's top-tier position in the country’s higher educational institutions system and among science and technology organizations.

PROMOTING VNU’s PRESTIGE AND NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY

On September 15, 2021, VNU launched an Online primary education support channel. This is a support system for online and face-to-face teaching and learning for teachers, parents, and primary school students in remote, disadvantaged areas in particular and in localities across the country in general.

VNU launched an Online primary education support channel on September 15, 2021

On November 5, 2021, VNU held the launching ceremony of the Vocational and Higher Education Quality Hub. The Hub was established to develop higher education and vocational education quality culture in Vietnam.

VNU held the launching ceremony of the Vocational and Higher Education Quality Hub on November 5, 2021

VNU also assigned VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities to launch an online Vietnamese language training system for overseas Vietnamese. This activity demonstrates VNU's responsibility in preserving, consolidating, and developing the Vietnamese language and the Vietnamese cultural and national identity; arousing the homeward spirits of Vietnamese people living overseas; and contributing to the promotion of the Vietnamese language and Vietnamese culture abroad.

With great determination to accompany the whole country in controlling the Covid-19 epidemic, VNU scientists are dedicated to researching and experimenting to master the technology of producing mRNA vaccines in response to new Covid-19 variants; VNU’s modelling techniques help to virtually screen compounds on the computer to find an effective treatment for Coronavirus-infected patients. VNU also organized a scientific seminar named "Proposing solutions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic in the new situation in Vietnam" with the participation of leading scientists and experts to discuss and propose sets of solutions to the Government with the aim of realizing the dual goal of controlling the epidemic and simultaneously recovering and developing the economy and society.

Besides, lecturers, doctors, and students of VNU University of Medicine and Pharmacy set off to the South to help check-up and treat Covid-19 cases; VNU’s staff, lecturers, and scientists participated in the Rapid Response Information Team under the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Response.

MAINTAINING POSITION AND INCREASING PRESTIGE INTERNATIONALLY

According to the QS WUR 2021, VNU continued to be placed in Group 801-1000 best universities globally. This was the fourth consecutive time VNU saw its name honored in this group. Albeit continuously featuring in this group, VNU's ranking scores were further advancing. Also as in this table, VNU ranked 147th in Asia in 2022, at the same position as that VNU achieved in QS AUR 2020, but rose to the top 21.4%.

In 2021, VNU continued to have many academic disciplines ranked by QS and THE, such as Mathematics; Mechanical Engineering, Aviation, and Manufacturing; Computer Sciences and Information Systems; Physics & Astronomy; Business & Management Studies; Natural Sciences; Engineering; Computer Sciences. The field of Social Sciences had been included in the Times Higher Education Rankings 2022 by subject for the first time and was placed in Group 501-600 globally.

Recently, the U.S. News & World Report has released the results of Best Global Universities. Accordingly, VNU ranked 938th globally, stepping up 11 places compared to the previous ranking period. Also in this period, VNU's Physics discipline continued to be included and ranked 635th globally.

COMPLETING THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY UNIVERSITY WITH AFFILIATED SCHOOLS

On December 1, 2021, VNU President signed and promulgated Decision No. 3868/QD-DHQGHN on the establishment of the International School (VNU IS) and Decision No. 3869/QD-DHQGHN on the establishment of the School of Business and Administration (VNU HSB).

The establishment of affiliated schools by reorganizing and developing the existing schools helps VNU effectively utilize the resources of a multidisciplinary university model as well as facilitate the mobilization of external human and financial resources; keep on completing the model of an innovation- and research-driven university on the basis of developing those units having capability, especially financial self-sufficiency, to well implement pilot policies on training, scientific research, international cooperation and integration.

According to the above-named Decisions, VNU IS and VNU HSB are self-financed training and scientific research units having their own seals and accounts for legal transactions. The two newly-established schools are organized and operated in accordance with the provisions of relevant laws and the Regulations on the organization and operation of the National University and its members promulgated by the Prime Minister and the Regulations on the organization and operation of affiliated schools issued by VNU President.

INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS HONOURED

In 2021, VNU’s members and affiliates held numerous activities to celebrate their traditional days and development stages. Specifically, VNU University of Science celebrated its 65-year tradition (1956-2021) and received the Third-class Labour Medal for the second time; VNU School of Law celebrated its 45-year tradition (1976-2021); Tran Nhan Tong Institute celebrated its 5th anniversary of foundation and development.

In 2021, two scientific works by VNU’s scientists, namely "Anti-colonialism Movement in Vietnam" by late Prof. Dr. Dinh Xuan Lam and "Modern Vietnamese poetry" by Prof. Dr. Le Van Lan (also known as Ma Giang Lan) were approved by the State Council for the 6th Ho Chi Minh Award and State Award in Science and Technology.

In 2021, as published in the U.S PLoS Biology on the ranking of citation influence in the scientific community, two scientists from VNU, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Dinh Duc and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Hoang Son, continued to be listed among the 10,000 most influential scientists. Topping the list of Vietnamese scientists was Prof. Dr. Nguyen Dinh Duc, ranked 5,949th globally and ranked 96th in the world in Engineering, followed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Hoang Son, ranked 6,766th globally.

Also in 2021, Dr. Nguyen Thi An Hang - Director of the Master's Program in Environmental Engineering, VNU Vietnam - Japan University was honoured with the Vietnam Women’s Award for her domestic and international outstanding achievements.

Recently, MSc. Le Hoang Quynh - Lecturer at VNU University of Engineering and Technology received the Golden Globe Award 2021 in Information Technology, Digital Transformation and Automation. The award is presented by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.

Contestants from HUS High School for Gifted Students won 1 gold medal, 4 silver medals and 1 bronze medal at the International Olympiads. The team of students from HUS High School for Gifted Students were awarded 5 Labour Medals by Vietnam’s President, 1 Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister and 2 Certificates of Merit from the Minister of Education and Training for their achievements at International Olympiads and International Science and Technology competitions in 2021.