On January 22, 2021, at Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST), 7 technical universities including: HUST; University of Science and Technology, The University of Danang (DUT); Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Vietnam National University – Ho Chi Minh City (HCMUT); University of Transport and Communications (UTC); Hanoi University of Mining and Geology (HUMG); Thuyloi University (TLU); and Hanoi University of Civil Engineering (HUCE) signed a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of cooperation.

Seven universities sign the MOU of cooperation

According to the signed MOU, the participating parties cooperate in enrollment, training, scientific research, technology transfer, education quality assurance and accreditation, organization of conferences, seminars, as well as communication to support and improve the effectiveness in implementing the Mission and Development Strategy of each University, aiming towards forming a group of pioneering technical universities in teaching, research, innovation and digital transformation.

• In the enrollment process, 7 universities will coordinate, exchange and share experiences in implementing enrollment, career orientation and building an enrollment team, use the results of the Thinking Assessment Test, and work together towards co-organization.
• In training, the parties agree to share experiences and cooperate in building university-level training programs and (new) engineer training programs in the direction of professional expertise and master’s level. At the same time, universities shall formulate models of co-instruction of students/graduate students/doctoral students in graduation theses/dissertations.
• In the field of accreditation, the parties agree to cooperate on self-assessment, peer assessment, external assessment, and share experiences in accrediting training programs and educational institutions following the standards of domestic and international accreditation organizations.
• In scientific research and technology transfer, the parties agree to coordinate in organizing international scientific conferences, building and jointly implementing interdisciplinary, inter-university research programs and international cooperation to strengthen prestigious international scientific publications among the Universities. In particular, the parties agree to build programs on innovation, transfer technology, form start-ups, joint spin-offs on the basis of research cooperation achieved. The Universities agree to work together to strongly apply digital transformation in administration, teaching, and research.
• The Universities agree to closely coordinate in communication work, coordinate the communication of events and joint activities organized by the seven Universities. The parties shall cooperate and share experiences in communication and brand promotion.
• The parties will establish a joint sub-committee with the task of researching, proposing, and coordinating the implementation of cooperation tasks between the Universities. Annually, the seven Universities will identify specific cooperation opportunities for implementation and designate focal units in the seven Universities to coordinate the implementation. The results of cooperation will be reviewed and reported periodically in the fourth quarter of each year.
• This cooperation will open many opportunities for deeper, stronger and more comprehensive connections, as well as actively contribute to the development and growth of the parties involved in the future.

The Rectors of the seven Universities highly appreciated the cooperation contents, which were in line with the key tasks of higher education in the 2021-2025 period, and in line with the orientation of the Ministry of Education and Training. The parties all showed their determination to best implement the cooperation contents and believed that the cooperation would help the seven Universities fulfill their pioneering mission in teaching, research, technology transfer and innovation.

Present to witness the signing ceremony, Assoc. Prof. Hoang Minh Son – Deputy Minister of Education and Training highly appreciated the cooperation initiative of the seven Universities and said that “So far, most universities have focused on international cooperation but forgetting an equally important direction, that is domestic cooperation. The Ministry of Education and Training welcomes the initiative and efforts of seven technical universities. Personally, I hope this cooperation will not only bring benefits to the participating universities, but also create a driving force for development for the entire technical education sector, and the higher education system as a whole. For example, in the coming time, these seven universities will be the pioneers in developing standard training programs for bachelors, engineers, masters and doctoral students in the fields of engineering”.

Assoc. Prof. Hoang Minh Son – Deputy Minister of Education and Training give speech during the ceremony

Previously, on June 27, 2020, 7 schools in the group signed a joint announcement on the orientation of developing the Engineer training program. This is considered the first step of the pioneering direction to improve the quality of training programs. The development of common standards for engineering training programs is expected to meet the actual needs of the society, and elevate Vietnam in the context of international integration.

Delegates attending the signing ceremony take souvenir photos