Meet DAAD alumni

Mr. Stefan Hase-Beren - Head of the DAAD Hanoi office (left) delivers a welcoming speech to the alumni.

Fifty years ago, academic cooperation began between Greifswald University and its partners in Vietnam. In 1969, the first Vietnamese students arrived in Greifswald to study. Prior to that, TU Dresden had also welcomed its first Vietnamese students. Since then, academic cooperation between these two universities and many other German universities has continuously developed with Vietnam, leading to close collaboration between Vietnam and Germany in the field of higher education.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of this event, four organizations collaborated to hold a reunion for former students who studied in Germany, themed "Alumni as Initiators of Academic Cooperation." The exchanges and discussions between Vietnamese alumni and their German counterparts at the event helped to reflect on the beginnings of this collaborative relationship and assess the achievements and experiences gained. Furthermore, alumni proposed and suggested future directions and models for strengthening academic cooperation between Vietnamese and German universities.

His Excellency Dr. Guido Hildner, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Vietnam, delivered a speech at the ceremony.

Notable presentations at the event included:Opportunities and challenges of internationalizing Vietnamese universities.” by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Minh Son (Rector of Hanoi University of Science and Technology);50 years of academic cooperation with Vietnam” by Prof. Dr. Michael North (Director of the Institute of History, University of Greifswald);Vietnam and TU Dresden - a stable bridge with a solid foundation." by author Katharina Schmitt (TU Dresden);Experiences in Germany and their influence on Vietnam: from a comparative cultural perspective." by Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh (Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi);A perspective on academic collaboration from the viewpoint of a young alumnus." by Dr. Nguyen Tien Quang (Hanoi University of Science and Technology).

The alumni also participated in group discussions on the topic "Opportunities and challenges for academic cooperation between Vietnam and Germany in the context of higher education reform in Vietnam."with specific discussions on: Does increased university autonomy lead to better collaboration opportunities? Strengths and weaknesses of research? Practical orientation and improved employability? Higher education cooperation: what are the mutual benefits? The role of DAAD alumni in promoting bilateral cooperation?"

Professor Pham Quang Minh delivered a speech at the ceremony.

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Professor Michael North (University of Greifswald) speaking at the ceremony.

Professor Uwe Fussel (TU Dresden) gave a speech.

Associate Professor Hoang Minh Son (Rector of the University of Technology) presented a paper titled "Opportunities and Challenges of Internationalizing Vietnamese Universities".

Professor Pham Quang Minh presented his paper."Experiences in Germany and their influence on Vietnam: from a comparative cultural perspective.”