French President Francois Hollande visits Vietnam National University, Hanoi and speaks about the shared future of France and Vietnam.

Rector of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Nguyen Kim Son receives French President Francois Hollande.

Attending the program from the Vietnamese side were Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Tien - Minister of Health, President of the Vietnam-France Friendship and Cooperation Association; Mr. Dao Viet Trung - Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Head of the Office of the President; and representatives from the Government Office, the Office of the President, and central ministries and agencies. From the international side, there was a delegation of parliamentarians, leaders of central ministries and agencies, and diplomatic representatives from the Republic of France.

This is the first visit to Vietnam by a French president in 12 years, since President Jacques Chirac's visit in 2004, and it is an opportunity for President Hollande to present new directions for cooperation between the two countries in the 21st century. It is also the first time a French head of state has visited a Vietnamese higher education institution.

President Francois Hollande's visit to Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) is of great significance, marking a strong development and opening up many prospects for cooperation in the field of education and training between the two countries. At the same time, this event contributes to affirming VNU's leading and pivotal role in the Vietnamese education system and enhancing the position of Vietnamese universities on the international stage.

Speaking at the ceremony, French President Francois Hollande expressed his pleasure at visiting Vietnam and VNU, and highly appreciated the cooperation between the Paris Polytechnic University and VNU.

French President Francois Hollande speaks at the ceremony.

President Hollande said: "The sentiment between the two countries has helped build a foundation for bilateral cooperation. I hope that universities in Vietnam, as well as in France, will have quality training programs. I know that many people have been trained in France and returned to Vietnam to contribute to the country, like Professor Ngo Bao Chau."

President Hollande stated that France will stand alongside Vietnam in promoting advanced technologies, focusing on training, and is ready to support Vietnam's development in the field of new technologies. France is also ready to support Vietnam in developing sustainable urban areas and in the field of climate change.

In particular, he emphasized that education is an important part of Vietnam-France relations. In the future, France hopes to welcome even more Vietnamese students to study in France. Currently, there are 7,000 Vietnamese students in France, but this number is still small. France wants to promote joint training programs between universities in the two countries, and to achieve this, it is necessary to expand the teaching and learning of French in Vietnam.

According to the French President, cooperation between Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) and the Paris Polytechnic University in training high-quality human resources will make a significant contribution to solving current common difficulties and challenges, while also strengthening the good traditional relationship between Vietnam and the Republic of France. In the future, VNU may strengthen cooperation with French research institutes and universities in many fields.

The French President stated that during this visit, Vietnam and France will discuss prospects for cooperation and sign several important documents. Regarding healthcare, the two sides have signed agreements between Vietnam's best research institutes and France's largest research institutes to strengthen cooperation. In terms of culture, France will also open a branch of the French Cultural Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, expanding cooperation in the fields of books and films to foster a better understanding of each other's cultures.

Director Nguyen Kim Son delivered a speech at the ceremony.

Expressing his joy and honor in welcoming the French President to visit Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), Director Nguyen Kim Son said that VNU is honored and proud to inherit the finest traditions of the academic heritage of the University of Indochina - the first center of higher education following the modern Western education model on the Indochina peninsula, established by the French in 1906. Through the tireless efforts of generations of staff, lecturers, and students over the past decades, VNU has developed into a leading multidisciplinary, research-oriented university with high quality and international standards in Vietnam.

Over the past years, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) has built and maintained bilateral cooperation with many major French universities such as the Paris Polytechnic University, the University of Nantes, and the University of Paris Sud. On this occasion, VNU and the Paris Polytechnic University signed a cooperation agreement in the presence of Mr. Yves Demay, Director of the Paris Polytechnic University. The signing ceremony between VNU and the prestigious Paris Polytechnic University is a vivid testament to the effective cooperation between VNU and its French partners. Furthermore, VNU has also actively participated in multilateral cooperation mechanisms and programs within the framework of the Francophone Community, the Agency for Francophone Universities (AUF), etc.

The solid foundation for the cooperative relationship between Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) and its French partners stems from the historical ties between VNU and French academia. VNU will actively work to strengthen this special relationship by further developing collaborative training and scientific research activities with French universities, thereby not only contributing to promoting cooperation in higher education between Vietnam and France, but also bridging the cultural, educational, and scientific gap between Asia and Europe.

“I believe that the visit of the French President will connect the past and the future, opening up many new opportunities for cooperation and creating momentum for a breakthrough in the Vietnam-France relationship in general, and between VNU and French universities in particular,” said VNU Director Nguyen Kim Son.

The Rector of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Nguyen Kim Son, and the Rector of the Paris Polytechnic University, Yves Demay, signed a cooperation agreement.

Some of the cooperation programs between Vietnam National University, Hanoi and French educational partners include:

Following President Jacques Chirac's visit 12 years ago, the French University Center in Hanoi (PUF Hanoi) was established under an agreement between the French and Vietnamese governments to implement French training programs in Vietnam. Between 2006 and 2014, PUF Hanoi implemented eight training programs, and 509 students received degrees. Since January 23, 2015, PUF Hanoi has been renamed the Center for Training and Development Management, under the International Institute of Francophonie, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

Since November 2010, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) has collaborated with the Agency for Francophone Universities (AUF) to organize, manage, and operate the International Institute of Francophone Studies. Many VNU staff and students have received scholarships from AUF.

In July 2014, the Master of Information Technology program of the International Institute of Francophone Studies (IFI) was awarded the "International Program" certification by the Francophone University Organization (AUF). This was the first French-language program in the world to receive AUF international program certification, further affirming the program's prestige and brand, and expanding its international reach, thereby increasing IFI's multicultural and multinational character.

Member units of Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) have been effectively implementing many cooperation activities in training, scientific research, and faculty and student exchange with French partners. Specifically: The University of Science cooperates with the University of South Toulon in training Bachelor of Chemistry and Master of Advanced Materials and Environment, and with the University of Bordeaux in training Master of Nuclear Physics and Applications; the University of Social Sciences and Humanities cooperates with the University of Toulouse Jean Jaurès in training Bachelor of Clinical Psychology, and with the University of Toulouse II – le Mirail in training Master of Child and Adolescent Development Psychology and Master of Sociology in Public Policy and Business Management – ​​MAPE; the Faculty of Law cooperates with the University of Social Sciences of Toulouse I, the University of Jean Moulin Lyon 3, and Montesquieu Bordeaux 4 in training Master of Law in Economic Cooperation and International Business. The International Institute of Francophonie collaborates with Claude Bernard de Lyon University in a Master's program in Information Technology, specifically "Data Transmission and Computer Networks," and with La Rochelle University in a Master's program in Information Technology, specifically "Intelligent Systems and Multimedia."

managing(Photo) French President Francois Hollande visits Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

Sinh Vu - Photo: Bui Tuan - VNU Media