On September 9, 2019, VNU Vice President Pham Bao Son had a meeting with the Secretariat of the ASEAN University Network (AUN) to discuss the plan to organize the 2020 Meeting with the topic: “Promoting research collaboration for the future of ASEAN and beyond”, to create opportunities for interaction, exchange, contribution of ideas; to strengthen the partnership between AUN member universities and partners; and to promote research and academic cooperation across East Asia.

VNU Vice President Pham Bao Son talking with AUN Executive Director Choltis

The Meeting is expected to welcome participants from 30 AUN member universities, 21 ASEAN+3 member universities (including China, Japan, and South Korea), 17 thematic networks and some AUN special partners. This will be a large-scale and highly influential education event hosted by VNU.

VNU Vice President Pham Bao Son expressed his thanks for AUN's trust in VNU as the host of the 10th Meeting and informed AUN Secretariat that VNU had reported the event to Vietnam Prime Minister and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. VNU Vice President Pham Bao Son paid special attention to the 2020 Meeting’s theme as it came into line with VNU’s research cooperation orientation. VNU Vice President proposed AUN to invite non-network members to join the Meeting as observers.

VNU Vice President Pham Bao Son suggesting that AUN build a database structure prior to the event and promote it within the event framework so that universities can more effectively share information.

As agreed by the two sides, the Meeting will take place in August 2020 in the form of reports and consultation workshops. In addition, on the sidelines of the main workshops, the parties may organize bilateral meetings.

Last year, VNU participated in all regular meetings between Directors/ Rectors and AUN Executive Boards, ASEAN+3 Directors/Rectors' Meeting, ASEAN+3 Heads of International Relations Offices’ Meeting; Took an active part in educational quality accreditation activities such as the Meeting for leaders in charge of quality assessment (AUN-QA CQOs’ Meeting) and AUN-QA Actual Quality Assessment at Programme Level.

VNU is also actively involved in most of AUN's thematic networks such as AUN Library Network (AUNILO), ASEAN Credit Transferring Network (ACTS), Human Rights Education and Research Network (AUN-HRE), ASEAN Health Promotion Network (AUN-HPN), Public Policy and People with Disabilities Network (AUN-DPPnet), Student Affairs Network (AUN-SAN), AUN-thematic network on education and ecological culture (AUN-EEC) and Culture and Arts Network (AUN-CA).

As for student exchange promotion activities, VNU also effectively participates in AUN and ASEAN+3 Education Forum and Student Speech Contest, ASEAN Youth Cultural Forum, ASEAN Youth Leadership Forum, Credit Exchange Program, Summer and Field Program.