Party and State leaders attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Vietnam-Japan University

Attending the ceremony, on the Japanese side were Mr. Takebe Tsutomu - Special Advisor to the Japan - Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians' Union; Mr. Fukada Hiroshi - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Vietnam; Mr. Mori Mutsuya - Chief Representative of JICA in Vietnam.

On July 21, 2014, the Prime Minister signed a decision to establish Vietnam-Japan University, the 7th member university of VNU. On August 30, 2014, in Document No. 354/TB-VPCP, the Prime Minister agreed in principle to assign VNU as the investor of the Vietnam-Japan University construction investment project. The Ministry of Construction has approved the adjustment and supplementation of the construction planning of Vietnam-Japan University in the VNU campus in Hoa Lac. Vietnam-Japan University will be built on a 75-hectare campus in Hoa Lac, with a total construction investment of about 365 million USD. The University's facilities are expected to be basically completed in 2020.

Party and State leaders, leaders of several ministries, sectors and leaders of VNU perform the groundbreaking ceremony for the Vietnam-Japan University construction project/Photo: Bui Tuan

Vietnam-Japan University is organized according to the advanced university model of Japan with the main languages ​​being Japanese, English and Vietnamese, with the support and direct participation of Japanese scientists, experts, businessmen and students in Vietnam. The school is expected to be a factor in spreading and sharing Japanese cultural and intellectual values ​​in Vietnam, becoming a center for cultural, scientific and educational exchange between the two countries.

In the field of training, the University will focus on high-tech engineering fields such as Nanotechnology, New Materials Technology, Mechanics and Automation... and interdisciplinary sciences such as Climate Change, Sustainable Development... These are the fields and majors that are organized for training combined with research and testing on the basis of modern equipment and laboratory systems. At the same time, the University will focus on developing social sciences and humanities fields in line with the advantages and friendly relations between Vietnam and Japan. Vietnam - Japan University plans to organize master's training from 2016, undergraduate and doctoral training from 2018.

In scientific research, Vietnam-Japan University will focus on researching advanced, highly integrated technologies, aiming at complete products, thereby increasing the proportion of high-tech products and high-tech application products in industrial production value. The university will also focus on researching interdisciplinary scientific fields such as climate change, natural disaster prevention, etc., contributing to increasing the ability to adapt to climate change and sustainable development of Vietnam. Research is carried out according to the model of a joint research center, research projects are carried out according to orders from businesses, governments, localities and international organizations.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the project, VNU Director Phung Xuan Nha said: In recent times, VNU has been very active and proactive in coordinating with relevant ministries, branches and Japanese partners to implement the project of building Vietnam-Japan University. VNU has established the Management Board of Vietnam-Japan University; worked with relevant ministries and branches to adjust and supplement the planning, clear the site and hand over land to implement the project; worked with relevant parties and will soon send to the Japanese Government a request for a technical assistance project for the University; organized investment promotion, introduced to Japanese enterprises opportunities to cooperate with Vietnam-Japan University; worked with Japanese agencies, organizations and universities to develop training and research programs at the new university...

The Director of VNU also emphasized: the establishment of Vietnam-Japan University, with modern facilities, with the participation and coordination of leading universities in Japan and the world, will be an opportunity for VNU to perfect the multidisciplinary and multi-field university model, develop advanced technology and interdisciplinary science fields, increase internationalization indexes and improve international rankings.

Ceremony scene/Photo: Bui Tuan

Representing the Party and State leaders, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam highly appreciated the significance of the establishment of the Vietnam-Japan University for the development of human resources in Vietnam and the "extensive strategic partnership" between Vietnam and Japan. As a special university, a symbol of Vietnam-Japan friendship and cooperation, the Vietnam-Japan University must be an advanced, high-quality university, converging advances in international higher education with the strengths and unique values ​​of education and culture of Vietnam and Japan, striving to become a large-scale, prestigious training center in the region.

To achieve the above goal, the Deputy Prime Minister requested VNU to focus on perfecting the school's management apparatus according to the model of advanced universities in the world and to carefully and thoroughly prepare training programs to ensure high quality, accredited according to international standards from the beginning. The Hanoi People's Committee and relevant agencies of Vietnam and Japan need to continue to support and closely coordinate so that the Vietnam-Japan University construction project can be implemented on schedule, ensuring quality and efficiency.

Mr. Nikai Toshihiro - Chairman of the Council of the Liberal Democratic Party, Chairman of the Vietnam - Japan Friendship Parliamentarians' Alliance sent a congratulatory letter to the groundbreaking ceremony with the following content: "I hope to work with Vietnamese friends to build a world-renowned university originating from Asia - with the goal of connecting the dreams and hopes of young people not only in Vietnam but throughout Asia.”. The special feature of Vietnam-Japan University is that it was established with the intention of creating a new university according to international standards, based on the connection between businesses, researchers and state organizations, targeting young people in Vietnam, Japan and Southeast Asian countries.

President Truong Tan Sang and Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam at the No. 1 Public Building of VNU in Hoa Lac/Photo: Bui Tuan

Mr. Fukada Hiroshi - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Vietnam highly appreciated the preparations of VNU for the construction of Vietnam - Japan University, especially the preparation for the opening of the master's training course in September 2016, the development of training programs as well as the selection of lecturers, finding ways to attract investment capital from businesses... The Ambassador also expressed his confidence in the success of the Project: the efforts of both sides will help to soon build an advanced university - a new bridge between the two Governments in training high-quality human resources in Vietnam.

Mr. Mori Mutsuya - Chief Representative of JICA in Vietnam - committed: JICA will make every effort to implement the first phase of the master's training course at Vietnam - Japan University in September 2016. In order for Vietnam - Japan University to develop sustainably and become a symbol of the relationship between the two countries, in addition to the support of the two governments, the active cooperation of businesses is needed.

In the presence of leaders of the Party, State, ministries and branches, leaders of VNU signed official cooperation agreements with partners within the framework of the Vietnam-Japan University Construction Project:

- Signing of cooperation agreement between VNU and Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI): Cooperation in training, promoting cooperation in the implementation of Vietnam-Japan University project, research, consulting and technology assessment according to business requirements, developing new technology and establishing joint research centers between the two sides.

- Signing between VNU and the Management Board of Hoa Lac High-Tech Park: Cooperation in the fields of training, scientific research and technology transfer, the two sides will coordinate to build the Vietnam-Japan University through providing information about Vietnam-Japan University to businesses in Hoa Lac High-Tech Park, participating in consulting on the implementation of linking the activities of Vietnam-Japan University with the research and development of businesses in the high-tech park.

- Signing between VNU and Osaka University (Japan): cooperation in preparing training programs of Vietnam-Japan University.