Pleased and honored with the Irish President’s visit, VNU President Nguyễn Kim Sơn advised that over the recent years, Vietnam –Ireland cooperation in education and vocational training has been expanded with support from the Irish Embassy in Vietnam, Enterprise Ireland, Irish Aid ...

VNU President further remarked that the cooperation with top Irish universities had opened up numerous opportunities for students and young lecturers to exchange with one other to improve their qualifications, while facilitating the building of new training programmes in Vietnam.

 As a national leading university, VNU has carried out a number of such cooperative projects with the Irish Embassy in Vietnam as a training programme for young lecturers, the Vietnam-Ireland Bilateral Education Exchange (VIBE), and the Annual education report.

 VNU President Nguyễn Kim Sơn delivering a speech

VNU President hoped that the Irish President’s ideas would help Vietnam improve its sustainable development model and strategy in the future. Also, as the pioneer in such new training and research programs as Climate change adaptation, Sustainable science, Unconventional security, etc., the Irish President’s ideas would encourage VNU to take a more active part in the country’s sustainable development. And above all, VNU’s students in particular and Vietnamese youth in general had a chance to get inspired with enthusiasm and wisdom from the President to nurture dreams and passion for building  a sustainable future for themselves, for the country and mankind.

Irish President Michael Daniel Higgins expressed his honor to become the first Irish President to have paid a State-level visit to Vietnam during the 20^th anniversary of Vietnam - Ireland diplomatic ties. He also expressed his thanks to VNU’s leaders, faculty and students for their warm welcome.

He advised that during the meeting with Vietnamese President Trần Đại Quang on November 7, the two sides agreed that education and training would be a focal field of the coming cooperation and encouraged the two nations’ educational institutions to develop partnerships.

President Higgins highly appreciated the cooperation between VNU and University College Cork and believed that the two universities would share knowledge, collaborate in training and research projects to contribute to sustainable development of the two countries.

Irish President Michael Daniel Higgins visited VNU and delivered a speech on sustainable development

The Irish President’s speech emphasized the factors affecting sustainable development.  They are peace, gender equality, environment, climate change, economic development, socio-culture, and especially, education.

In response to a VNU student’s question on his success, President Michael Daniel Higgins stated, “You are very lucky to study at VNU – the oldest and leading educational institution in Vietnam where you can develop your ability and creative capacity. I encourage VNU’s students in particular and Vietnamese youth in general to make efforts in study and practice; practice thinking critically. I strongly believe that you will together become a knowledge link not only within Vietnam but also among the regional and global nations for building a global network contributing to a prosperous development of mankind”.

Previously, on November 7, 2016, VNU President Nguyễn Kim Sơn and University College Cork President Michael B. Murphy signed a comprehensive cooperation MOU under the witness of Vietnamese President Trần Đại Quang and his Irish counterpart Michael Daniel Higgins.