Vietnam - China Higher Education Forum

Attending the forum were Mr. Peng Shituan (Cultural Counselor of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Vietnam), Mr. Li Xinli (Chairman of the Board of Directors of Global Education Group) and leaders of Chinese universities. On the Vietnamese side, there were Prof. Dr. Vu Minh Giang (Chairman of the Science and Training Council of VNU), Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Kim (Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities), Mr. Nguyen Van Tho (former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, former Ambassador of Vietnam to China).

Guests at the Vietnam - China Higher Education Forum

At this education forum, managers and education experts from Vietnam and China shared information on the situation of cooperation in the field of higher education between the two countries; created opportunities to connect and build cooperation contents; proposed solutions to promote bilateral cooperation between universities of the two countries.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Vietnam - China Higher Education Forum, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Kim shared about the efforts of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in the strategy of internationalizing research and training activities, aiming to continuously improve the quality of training, scientific research, university administration, and at the same time contribute to supplementing the knowledge resources and creative scientific thinking of the region and humanity. Through that, the University wants to enhance understanding and strengthen the spirit of solidarity and friendship between countries. In that foreign strategy, Chinese universities are the most important partners of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Many teachers and scientists of the University were trained at Chinese universities and have made important contributions to the education, training and scientific research of the University, VNU and Vietnam. On the other hand, from the former Hanoi University of Science to the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU today, the University has trained many Chinese students and trainees. Among them, many have become talented Chinese scientists, managers, and diplomats.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Kim spoke at the Forum, highly appreciating the significance of this activity in promoting cooperation between the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and Chinese universities, and at the same time proposing specific cooperation directions.

In addition to professional training fields, the School and Chinese universities attach importance to cooperation in training Vietnamese and Chinese languages ​​and cultures. This is the basis for promoting understanding of history, culture and developing comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

Considering that the results achieved are still not really commensurate with the potential and strengths of both sides, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Kim suggested that through this forum, experts from both countries will discuss the following issues: First, how to continue to consolidate and promote the University's cooperation with traditional partners such as Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Beijing, Shanghai, etc.; on the other hand, it is necessary to further expand relations with new partners in other provinces and regions of China. Second, in addition to strengthening training cooperation, it is necessary to further promote scientific research cooperation by coordinating the organization of seminars, talks, scientific forums, and implementing joint research topics and projects. Third, further strengthening exchange activities, lecturers and students between the University and Chinese universities.

Event Overview

The representative of the co-organizer of the event, Mr. Ly Han Lap (Chairman of Global Education Group) said: In February 2017, GES opened a representative office in Vietnam. Realizing that Vietnam is interested in international exchange activities for students and on the basis of the increasingly strong educational cooperation relationship between the two countries, GES has implemented many activities in Vietnam such as: supporting more than 200 Chinese students to study in Vietnam, dozens of Vietnamese students to study in China; connecting and organizing courses under the "One Belt One Road" program. This Chinese Higher Education Forum in Vietnam is expected to be an important event to help survey the needs and create multi-layered, multi-faceted cooperation channels between universities of the two countries.

Mr. Ly Han Lap (Chairman of GES Global Education Group) shared about the Group's achievements in promoting educational cooperation between Vietnam and China.

Looking from the depth of the political, cultural and historical relationship between Vietnam and China, Prof. Dr. Vu Minh Giang said that the two countries have similar cultural relations, close geographical and territorial ties "mountains next to mountains, rivers next to rivers", so throughout history, the two countries have had many opportunities to build friendly cooperation in many fields. However, to ensure truly sustainable development, cooperation in education and culture is fundamental and especially important. In that sense, the Vietnam-China Higher Education Forum is a good initiative.

VNU, Hanoi, was formerly known as the Indochina University, founded in 1906 - a university with a very high academic tradition and international status since its inception. It has produced great scientists of world stature such as Dr. Louis Pasteur - the father of vaccines, great Vietnamese revolutionaries such as General Secretary Truong Chinh, General Vo Nguyen Giap, revolutionary Nguyen Thai Hoc, etc. VNU, Hanoi is also a place chosen by many politicians and heads of state to visit. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visited VNU in 2013.

Prof. Dr. Vu Minh Giang proposed to research and exchange experiences on opening up and reforming higher education in China.

Prof. Dr. Vu Minh Giang proposed a specific discussion topic at the Forum, which is to study China's experience in reforming higher education, aiming to bring Chinese universities to the top of the world. However, on the path to international development, Vietnamese and Chinese universities need to rely on the quintessence of traditional Eastern culture combined with the advancement of Western education to reach the pinnacle while still maintaining their own identity. The potential for cooperation between Vietnam and China is huge, but it should start from interaction activities, understanding the needs of the people of the two countries, and on that basis, building appropriate cooperation programs that bring benefits to both sides.

Providing information on the educational cooperation situation between Vietnam and China, Mr. Nguyen Van Tho (former Vietnamese Ambassador to China, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs) said: China currently has 11,300 students studying in Vietnam. China is also a large educational market where Vietnamese students choose to study abroad. Education and training is a fundamental field in the relationship between the two countries. It is an aspect of people-to-people exchange, helping the young generations of the two countries to be open and understand each other. He expected the forum to go straight into practical exchanges such as: what will the universities of the two countries do, what professional fields will they cooperate in that both sides need in the future.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tho - former Vietnamese Ambassador to China, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

Highly appreciating the significance of the event, Mr. Bang The Doan (Cultural Counselor of the Chinese Embassy) said that the Forum helps realize the common perception in the viewpoints of the two Parties and two States on the development cooperation strategy between Vietnam and China. Since the 50s and 60s of the 20th century, China has sent many students to Vietnam to study Vietnamese. Exchanges between the two countries have a good history that needs to be inherited and promoted. Vietnam and China have many things in common such as: being the cradle of Eastern culture, the people of the two countries always promote education and have a tradition of respecting teachers. Vietnam and China also aim to build universities of international stature. Educational exchanges between the two countries are increasingly developing with more than 10,000 Vietnamese students in China, more than 1,000 Chinese students studying in Vietnam. Since 2017, in the fields of cultural, educational and tourism exchanges, there have been more than 10 million people traveling between the two countries. This is a huge potential for development. In exchange activities, people-to-people exchanges between the two countries need to be promoted; education must be a strategic and long-term area of ​​cooperation; enhancing cultural understanding must be considered the foundation for building a bridge of cooperation between the two countries.

Mr. Peng Shituan - Cultural Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam

In the afternoon of the same day, the Chinese higher education exhibition took place at the Fortuna Hotel (Hanoi) with exhibition booths and information booths from Chinese universities. The schools introduced their majors, conditions and study opportunities, scholarships, policies, etc. to young Vietnamese people.