By Office of Public Affairs
The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 25 February 2022 with The University of Da Nang (UD), one of the top regional universities in Vietnam, in a hybrid ceremony attended virtually by diplomats and senior-level delegates from numerous locations in Vietnam and Thailand.
Representatives from the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City, the International Cooperation Department of Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), AIT Center in Vietnam (AITCV), and the Embassy of Vietnam in Bangkok, Thailand witnessed the signing of the new partnership intended to spur multiple collaborations between AIT and UD.
“A very good relationship between UD and AIT will be established and evolve in the near future,” said the President of UD, Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, as he highlighted the strengths of AIT in human resource development and capacity building training. “I look forward to the successful implementation of our MOU.”
Cooperation under the agreement includes the development and implementation of postgraduate academic programs, capacity building training programs, joint research and innovation initiatives, exchange of publications, organization of seminars, workshops and symposia of mutual interest and other projects.
Under the MOU, AIT will work closely with the University of Da Nang on the ‘Program 89 Scholarship Program’ to provide support and opportunities for UD lecturers to study for capacity building PhD programs, said AIT President Dr. Eden Woon, thanking President Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu for joining AIT in bilateral partnership.
“Throughout our history, AIT has benefited greatly from the support of the Government of Vietnam. Today, we are delighted to work even more closely with the Ministry of Education and Training,” President Woon said.
Mr. Dang Trung Dung, Second Secretary to the Ambassador of the Embassy of Vietnam in Thailand remarked, “This is actually marking a very important and significant day, not only by the MOU signed between the two sides – AIT and the University of Da Nang, but it also reflects a bigger picture of bilateral educational collaboration between Vietnam and Thailand.”
“I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate the two universities for the signing of the MOU today,” said Ms. Wiraka Moodhitaporn, Consul-General of the Consulate-General of Thailand in Ho Chi Minh City. “The Royal Thai Consulate wishes to reaffirm our readiness to support the work of AIT and the University of Da Nang for the mutual benefit of Thailand and Vietnam and the region as a whole.”
The relationship between AIT and Vietnam began to take root in the 1960s when Vietnamese students received scholarships to study at AIT. Representatives from Vietnam have been members of AIT’s Board of Trustees since 1973, and the Asian Institute of Technology Center in Vietnam (AITCV) was established in 1993 under an agreement between the Government of Vietnam and AIT.
In 2006, AIT was awarded the country’s “2006 Friendship Order” in the area of international relations that contributed to human resource training for the country and to the development of friendly relations between Vietnam and other countries. To date, 4173 Vietnamese nationals have earned postgraduate degrees from AIT and over 15,000 have received short-term training from AITCV.
The University of Da Nang was established in 1994 and boasts an enrollment of 56,656 full-time students. UD is a top regional university of member universities and affiliated units, ranking in the top 450 of the QS Ranking of Asian Universities. The six member universities of UD are the University of Science and Technology, University of Economics, University of Science and Education, University of Foreign Language Studies, University of Technology and Education Vietnam – Korea, and the University of Information and Communication Technology.
UD is a key incubator of intellectuals and human resources talent for the socio-economic development of the Central- Highlands area and the whole of Vietnam. The university currently employs 10 graduates of AIT.
Vietnam is one of the fastest growing countries in the world, and the need for capable human resources continues to grow at pace.
The event was hosted on site at UD in Dan Nang by the President and senior university officials with Rectors of member universities, AITCV officials, and the AIT Vietnam Alumni President joining via Zoon. AIT Thailand attendees who attended virtually included the President Woon, Vice President for Academic Affairs Prof. Shobhakar Dhakal, Dean of the School of Engineering and Technology Prof. Dieter Trau and other senior level officials.