MEETING OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE PERFECTION OF THE HIGH-QUALITY ENGINEER EDUCATION PROGRAM IN VIETNAM

On November 11, 2022, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hong Hai – Vice Rector of the University of Danang – University of Science and Technology participated into a meeting of the National Council for the Perfection (CNP) of the High-Quality Engineer Program in Vietnam (PFIEV), organized by Hanoi University of Civil Engineering. The objective of this meeting was to summarize the activities in 2022 and set out the operational direction for 2023.

Overview of the meeting

Attending the meeting on the French side included Mr. Dominique Laffly – Attaché of Science and University Cooperation of the French Embassy in Vietnam; Mr. Joël Bianco – Principal of Louis Le Grand High School; Mr. Thibaut Skrzypek – International Cooperation Department of Paris National University of Bridges and Roads (ENPC), Spokesperson (Porte-parole) of the French School Complex; Ms. Mai Quyen Pham – IMT Atlantique School; Mr. Christian Obrecht – Lyon National Institute of Applied Sciences (INSA Lyon); Mr. Christophe Bobineau – Grenoble Institute of National Polytechnic (Grenoble INP); Ms. Séverine Giroud – Department of International Relations, Grenoble Institute of National Polytechnic (INP); Mr. Pascal Maussion – Vice President of Foreign Affairs of the National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse (Toulouse INP) and Ms. Claudia Frydman – National Polytechnic University of Marseille (Polytech Marseille).

On the Vietnamese side, there were: Mr. Nguyen Duc Trung – Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Training; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Duy Hoa – Rector of Hanoi University of Civil Engineering; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Xuan Anh – Vice Rector of Hanoi University of Civil Engineering; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hong Hai – Vice Rector of The University of Danang – University of Science and Technology; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thien Phuc – Vice Rector of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Phong Dien – Vice Rector of Hanoi University of Science and Technology; leaders of departments, PFIEV program leaders of schools, business representatives, PFIEV alumni and students.

At the opening, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Duy Hoa – Secretary of the Party Committee, Rector of Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, hosting the organization of CNP this year, on behalf of four universities participating in the PFIEV program in Vietnam, welcomed delegates to the meeting, expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam, The French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Invention, the Embassy of France in Vietnam, French partner schools and Vietnamese universities for their kind support, interest, and participation in the PFIEV program.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Duy Hoa, Rector of Hanoi University of Civil Engineering delivering the welcome speech

Mr. Dominique Laffly – Attaché of Scientific and University Cooperation, Representative of the French Embassy in Vietnam delivered a speech at the event. He also emphasized that the French Embassy in Vietnam will consider to promote activities to help the PFIEV program such as invitation of native French teachers to teach French to PFIEV students, connection with French enterprises through the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam (CCIFV), assistance to PFIEV students to study in France, etc.

Also at the event, Mr. Thibaut Skrzypek, porte-parole of the French consortium, stressed that the French consortium always accompanies and support Vietnamese universities in activities of the PFIEV program such as accreditation of PFIEV programs (CTI, HCERES), partipation into French-Vietnamese graduation committees, exchange program for lecturers and students, and among others. On this occasion, Louis le Grand High School presented the school’s medal to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Duy Hoa for the great contributions of the Rector to PFIEV, and for the friendship between two French-Vietnamese consortia. 

Mr. Thibaut Skrzypek, representative of the French consortium at the event

Following the meeting, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Xuan Anh representing the Vietnam consortium and Mr. Thibaut Skrzypek representing the French consortium presented reports summarizing the overall activities of the PFIEV program in the school year 2021 – 2022. Both of them co-chaired the discussion session upon issues in which two consortia are interested, as well as next-step activities of the PFIEV program in the next school year such as HCERES accreditation, pedagogical innovation for Math and Physics subjects, exchange program for lecturers and students, the 89 project of the Vietnam government, etc.

At the closing session, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hong Hai - Vice Rector of The University of Danang – University of Science and Technology, the president of the Vietnam consortium for the period of 2022 – 2023, concluded the main contents that the two parties will work together in the coming year. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hong Hai highly appreciated the working spirit of two consortia and expressed his special thanks to Hanoi University of Civil Engineerin for successfully organizing the National Council for the Perfection of the High-Quality Engineering Education Program in Vietnam – 2022.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hong Hai, Vice Rector of The University of Danang – University of Science and Technology delivering the closing speech.

The meeting ended successfully, the delegates exchanged and discussed enthusiastically, gave many valuable comments to improve and sustainbly develop the PFIEV program – the training program that is considered the most successful ever in cooperation on higher education between France and Vietnam. The next CNP will be organized at Ho Chi Minh city by Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City – Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology.

The PFIEV program was established in 1999 under the educational cooperation agreement between the government of Vietnam and France. In Vietnam, four leading technical universities which were selected to participate in the PFIEV program include: Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, the University of Danang – University of Science and Technology, and Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City – Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology. On the French side, a consortium of leading universities that are partners of PFIEV was estalished to give professional advice for the program, including: Paris National University of Bridges and Roads, Lyon National Institute of Applied Sciences, University of Central Paris, Grenoble Institute of National Polytechnic, Poitiers National University of Mechanics and Aeronautical Engineering, Toulouse National University of Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Informatics, Hydraulics and Telecommunications, Bretagne National University of Telecommunications and The Lycée Louis Le Grand. Through the annual Perfection Council meetings, the PFIEV has made many positive changes. The program is constantly updated and improved with the aim of training high-quality human resources to meet the needs of domestic, regional and international enterprises.