On March 31, 2026, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, President of the University of Danang (UD), chaired a meeting with a delegation from the City of Chemnitz, Germany, led by Mr. Sven Schulze, Mayor of Chemnitz. The delegation also included Prof. Dr. Thomas von Unwerth, Vice-Rector of Chemnitz University of Technology; Prof. Dr. Harald Kuhn, Director of the Nanoelectronic Systems Research Institute; Ms. Silvana Bergk, Head of the Economic Development Agency; and Ms. Katrin Hoffmann, Managing Director of the Saxon Industry Association 1828 e.V., along with relevant officials and specialists from the City of Chemnitz.

Representing UD were leaders of its member universities (University of Science and Technology; University of Economics; University of Technology and Education; Vietnam–Korea University of Information and Communication Technology (VKU)), as well as representatives from VN–UK Institute for Research and Executive Education, Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, relevant departments, and science and international cooperation offices of UD’s member institutions.

At the meeting, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu warmly welcomed Mayor Sven Schulze and the delegation from the City of Chemnitz and Chemnitz University of Technology for their visit and working session with UD.

Introducing UD’s key highlights, the UD President noted that UD is a key regional national university with multi-disciplinary and multi-field education and training, comprising six member universities and affiliated/subordinate units, including three institutions with strong expertise in engineering and technology. With more than 50 years of development originating from its member universities, UD has trained and contributed hundreds of thousands of engineers, economic managers, entrepreneurs, educators, and scientists to the country. Many UD alumni have gone on to hold key positions in central agencies, local authorities, enterprises, and educational institutions.

With its long-standing tradition and important role as one of Vietnam’s three major centers for high-quality human resource training and scientific research, UD has recently been selected by the government as one of four universities to receive key investment as a model for Vietnam’s higher education system. This represents a major opportunity accompanied by a high level of responsibility, requiring UD to pursue breakthrough solutions, strive to enter the Top 150 universities in Asia, and achieve at least one discipline/field ranked among the Top 100 worldwide.

To train and supply human resources for the country’s new era of development, the Government has identified 11 strategic technology sectors. In this context, Da Nang City and UD have been assigned important tasks, including training human resources for the development of the semiconductor industry, as well as disciplines such as financial technology to meet the needs of the planned financial center and free trade zone, thereby attracting investment to the city and contributing to regional and national development.

The UD President also expressed his pleasure that, during this visit, the Mayor of Chemnitz and the Chairman of the Da Nang City People’s Committee signed a cooperation agreement between the two cities. This opens an opportunity for UD to enhance and expand cooperation with universities in Chemnitz, notably Chemnitz University of Technology, which shares comparable strengths in fields of mutual interest such as semiconductor microchips, high-speed railways, nuclear technology, and financial technology.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu expressed his hope that, through the visit and with the Mayor’s support and leadership, UD will be able to expand cooperation with Chemnitz University of Technology in particular, and with other universities in Chemnitz and Germany in general.

Speaking to UD’s leadership, Mayor Sven Schulze shared his pleasure and honor to visit and work with UD, and expressed his sincere thanks for the respectful and warm reception. The Mayor emphasized that the city government places strong emphasis on investing in higher education, including institutions such as Chemnitz University of Technology with strengths in engineering and technology areas that align well with UD’s member universities. This provides a solid foundation for the parties to explore needs and potential for future collaboration.

According to Prof. Dr. Thomas von Unwerth, Vice-Rector of Chemnitz University of Technology, the university has a 150-year tradition of establishment and development, with particularly strong faculties in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, information technology, computer science, economics and business administration, and humanities, including programs in microelectronics, nanotechnology, and circular economy.

Prof. Dr. Thomas von Unwerth also noted that Chemnitz University of Technology has Vietnamese students who perform very well and integrate quickly into the academic and cultural environment. Therefore, student exchange potential between the two sides is highly promising, creating opportunities for young talents to access Chemnitz University of Technology’s research and innovation ecosystem as well as its network of partner enterprises in the City of Chemnitz.

Sharing his joy at returning to UD for the second time after previously serving as a speaker at an international workshop at UD-VKU, Prof. Dr. Harald Kuhn, Director of the Nanoelectronic Systems Research Institute, stated that semiconductors are a key focus and a major strength of the institute, especially in chip research, design, and testing. The institute operates laboratory systems supporting both undergraduate and postgraduate training and research, and carries out collaborative projects with enterprises, while also maintaining strong links with scientists, including partners in Vietnam. This creates opportunities for universities and institutes from both sides to jointly develop in-depth training programs from undergraduate to postgraduate levels.

In a spirit of understanding and cooperation, representatives of UD’s member universities and the City of Chemnitz exchanged information on needs, opportunities, and collaboration potential, with a focus on semiconductor chip training and research. The UD President proposed that the City of Chemnitz and Chemnitz University of Technology support opportunities for cooperation in international joint programs, expert exchange, interdisciplinary research teams and scientists, and two-way student exchange through short-term training/internship programs and summer experience initiatives.

According to Ms. Katrin Hoffmann, Managing Director of the Saxon Industry Association 1828 e.V., the relationship between science and industry plays an important role in contributing to business community development, especially in Chemnitz, which is characterized by a large number of small and medium-sized enterprises.

The UD President highly appreciated the exchange and cooperation orientations, noting many similarities in priority fields and the fact that most Vietnamese companies are also small and medium-sized enterprises. UD students have significant opportunities and time for internships (4–6 months) to learn and apply knowledge and skills in practice. Therefore, UD places strong emphasis on developing the “triple helix” partnership among government, universities, and industry to jointly train and employ high-quality human resources, promote R&D, and foster innovation.

The UD President assigned Department of Science and International Cooperation to serve as the focal point and coordinate with partners, and requested leaders of member universities and units to proactively connect and discuss needs in order to develop specific cooperation programs and contents aligned with each side’s potential and strengths.

Mayor Sven Schulze expressed his sincere thanks and highly appreciated the clear and promising potential and foundation for cooperation. Universities in Chemnitz and Germany host a considerable number of Vietnamese students, and vice versa. With programs taught in German and English, and as the City of Chemnitz coordinates with Da Nang City to establish an open “Chemnitz Space,” new opportunities for collaboration among universities are expected in the near future.

UD Media