On March 30, 2026, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu - President of the University of Da Nang (UD), chaired a meeting and working session with a delegation from University North, Croatia, led by  Prof. Damir Vusić, Rector of the university.

Also attending the meeting were the Vice Rectors of University North, Croatia: Prof. Robert Geček and Prof. Mario Tomiša; Prof. Krunoslav Hajdek from the Faculty of Multimedia Design; as well as representatives from the Board of Rectors of University of Economics - UD, the Vietnam-Korea University of Information and Communication Technology - UD, the leadership of the Vietnam-UK Institute for Research and Executive Education - UD, and relevant functional departments (Academic Affairs and Education Quality Assurance; Science and International Cooperation; Student Affairs, Corporate Relations and Communications).

Speaking at the meeting, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, President of UD, extended a warm welcome to the delegation from University North, Croatia, for their visit and collaboration with UD.

Providing an overview of UD’s prominent features as a key national regional university, the President highlighted its multidisciplinary nature, comprising six member universities and various affiliated training units. With a scale among the top in the country, boasting over 2,600 faculty and staff and more than 65,000 students and international trainees, the President shared with the partners UD's proud tradition of over 50 years of development rooted in its member institutions.

UD takes great pride in the fact that, across the central region and the entire country, one can find successful UD alumni contributing to key projects and making significant impacts on the nation's economic, cultural, and social development.

With its tradition, potential, and vital role, UD is honored to be selected by the Central Steering Committee as one of four universities receiving focused investment to serve as a model for the national higher education system. This represents a major opportunity and a turning point, accompanied by high responsibility. It requires UD to implement breakthrough solutions to enhance the quality of education, scientific research, and international cooperation, striving toward the goal of breaking into the Top 150 leading universities in Asia, with at least one field of study ranked in the Top 100 globally.

Speaking with the leaders of UD, the leadership of University North, Croatia, expressed their honor to visit and work with the university, extended their sincere thanks to the President of UD for the warm and respectful reception.

Providing an overview of University North, Croatia, one of the key higher education institutions in Northern Croatia, the university's representative shared that, as a member of the European University Association (EUA), University North has strengths in multidisciplinary and multi-field training. Their programs range from technical and engineering disciplines, such as Mechanical and Civil Engineering, to fields in Economics and Business Administration, Logistics, Health, Education, Multimedia Communication, and the Arts.

With orientations similar to several UD member universities focusing on applied training and research to meet the practical demands of the domestic and European labor markets, University North, Croatia, has been asserting its international prestige. This is reflected in its rankings, such as Top 401-600 in the THE (Times Higher Education) Impact Rankings, with notable fields including Health (Top 101-200) and Education (Top 301-400).

The University actively participates in numerous international cooperation projects, such as the Erasmus+ Program, creating opportunities for lecturers and scientists to engage in joint research. This trend aligns perfectly with UD’s traditional strengths in international cooperation, as UD maintains many partnerships with European universities, particularly as a member of the Ulysseus European University Alliance.

In an atmosphere of openness and trust, the leaders of both sides shared their development orientations and expressed a desire to create opportunities for in-depth collaboration in fields where UD's member universities and University North have potential and strengths. The President of UD expressed a desire to strengthen joint training programs, support the exchange of experts, scientists, and students, particularly through collaborative models during summer programs.

On this occasion, UD cordially invited the leaders of University North, Croatia, to attend and contribute papers to the "University-Industry Linkage" Conference proceedings. The conference, chaired by UD in collaboration with the Da Nang People's Committee, is scheduled for July 10, 2026, as part of Da Nang Economics, Finance, and Technology Week. The partners expressed their appreciation and graciously accepted the invitation, while also sharing their readiness to connect and propose joint research projects and publications in the near future.

The President of UD suggested that UD’s member universities and units proactively explore and establish collaborative opportunities. He assigned UD’s Department of Science and International Cooperation to act as a bridge, coordinating with University North, Croatia, to concretize the directions discussed and agreed upon by the leaders of both sides, aiming at sustainable development based on three pillars: Education, Scientific Research, and International Cooperation and Integration.

UD Media