On the morning of July 23, 2025, The Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission visitted and worked with the senior leadership of the University of Danang (UD) to review the implementation of the Party's guidelines on science and technology (S&T), environment and intellectual work. 

The session was co-chaired by Comrade Huynh Thanh Dat - Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission; Comrade Nguyen Dinh Vinh - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Da Nang Party Committee;  Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu- Member of the Da Nang Party Committee, President of the UD.

Overview of the working session

Reporting on behalf of the university, President Nguyen Ngoc Vu provided an overview of UD as a regional, multi-disciplinary university under the Ministry of Education and Training. 

President of the UD highlighted that over its 30 years of development, building on a legacy of nearly 50 years from its member institutions, UD has trained hundreds of thousands of engineers, technical staff, economists, educators, scientists, and entrepreneurs. 

Many alumni now hold key positions in government agencies, businesses, and schools, contributing significantly to the socio-economic development of the nation, particularly the Central Vietnam-Central Highlands region.

Co-chairs of the working session

With an organizational structure comprising 06 member universities and several affiliated training units, UD boasts a formidable team of over 2,600 staff, including 1,600 lecturers and 40 research and teaching groups. 

It is one of the country's top universities by scale, with over 70,000 students. Its infrastructure for training and research includes numerous modern laboratories funded by the state budget, international cooperation projects, and corporate partnerships.

President of the UD Nguyen Ngoc Vu reported

President of the UD Nguyen Ngoc Vu outlined the key policies and solutions implemented in line with Party Resolutions No. 57 and No. 45, which have yielded the following major achievements:

1- Faculty development: Nearly 50% of UD's lecturers now hold a Ph.D. or higher, with 60-100 new PhDs graduating annually. This figure significantly surpasses the national average of approximately 33%, with University of Science and Technology - UD and University of Science and Education - UDreaching over 67% and 64%, respectively. This highly skilled, multilingual, and internationally connected faculty is a valuable asset and the core force of UD's training and research.

2- S&T Development Fund: The university established and operationalized a Science and Technology Development Fund to finance high-quality interdisciplinary projects, reward outstanding international publications, and support scientists and lecturers attending prestigious conferences and organizing international symposia at UD.

Discussion session

3- Attracting top talent: UD has actively invited leading domestic and international scientists to work at the university. Notable examples include Prof. Dr. Sc. Le Thanh Nhan from Côte d'Azur University (France), who serves as Director of the Danang International Institute of Technology (DNIIT-UD), as well as guest professors from Japan and a scientific presentation by Nobel laureate in Physics, Prof. Gerard 't Hooft.

4- Honoring scientific excellence: UD annually recognizes and honors new professors, associate professors, and PhDs. It also commends outstanding scientists for their international publications and applied research. 

Notably, over 70% of the authors and teams awarded by Da Nang City for patents and exceptional international publications are from UD. The number of research projects and international publications has seen an average annual growth of over 10%.

Discussion session

5- Promoting Student Research and Innovation: The annual "Student Scientific Research Award" and numerous innovation and startup competitions have served as a launchpad for students and lecturers to achieve high honors in national and international contests.

6- Investing in Infrastructure: UD has significantly upgraded its facilities and laboratories through various funding sources. Recent projects include the 40-billion VND National Key Laboratory for Mechatronics and Applications and the 80-billion VND Semiconductor Chip Research Area at the University of Science and Technology. Corporate partnerships have also provided crucial support for equipment and facilities.

Discussion session

7- Expanding International Research Networks: UD maintains partnerships with over 300 international institutions. It is a key member of organizations like the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) and recently became the first official non-European member of the ULYSSEUS European University Alliance. 

The university also participates in major projects like the Partnership for Higher Education Reform (PHER) with US partners and an ODA project funded by the Korean government and KOICA for the Vietnam-Korea University of Information and Communication Technology - UD.

8- Strengthening community engagement: UD actively collaborates with central ministries, local governments, businesses, and high schools. It has organized numerous workshops and policy consultation sessions, including joint scientific conferences with the Central Economic Commission and the Da Nang Party Committee, and encourages its faculty to contribute to major publications like the Communist Review.

Discussion session

Following its recent conference on "Solutions to Enhance International Publications and Achieve a Breakthrough in Scientific Research," UD has directed its member institutions to develop and implement concrete action plans. 

With over 100 specific projects and tasks ready for major national S&T programs, the university has unified its focus on this as a core mission for the 2025-2026 academic year and beyond.

Discussion session

UD has committed to several key "breakthrough" initiatives:

1. Implement special policies to attract 5-7 leading scientists annually to lead interdisciplinary research groups.

2. Establish 10 new high-impact, interdisciplinary research groups, with at least 30% corporate participation to ensure research is application-oriented, focusing on "societal needs, not just existing capabilities."

Discussion session

3. Encourage the establishment of centers of excellence in strategic fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Semiconductors, New Materials, Renewable Energy, and Fintech.

4. Develop a comprehensive faculty development plan with policies to attract, retain, and reward talent; promote international publications; and encourage policy advisory work.

5. Reform financial and reward mechanisms in faculty evaluations, prioritizing achievements in S&T, innovation, and digital transformation, while increasing funding for student research.

Comrade Nguyen Dinh Vinh
Standing Deputy Secretary of
the Da Nang Party Committee spoke

Despite these achievements, UD's leadership frankly acknowledged existing limitations, including the need for more breakthrough policies (especially for launching new academic programs not yet in the national portfolio), resource constraints, a shortage of top-tier scientists, and inefficient collaboration models between research institutes and the university.

During the discussion, delegates expressed strong agreement with UD's report and praised its efforts and results. Representatives from central ministries, the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development, and Da Nang City departments acknowledged UD's proposals, pledging to report them to the relevant authorities and expressed a desire for continued collaboration.

Comrade Huynh Thanh Dat
Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda
and Mass Mobilization Commission spoke

In his concluding remarks, Comrade Huynh Thanh Dat highly praised the UD for its proactive and creative approach to implementing Party directives on developing intellectuals, training high-quality human resources, and advancing scientific research, innovation, and digital transformation.

"These impressive results reaffirm the role and position of the UD in Vietnam's higher education system," Comrade Huynh Thanh Dat stated. "It is worthy of developing into a National University in Da Nang, a city of strategic importance renowned as a 'livable city.'"

Group photo

The leadership of the Central Commissions expressed confidence that with its strong tradition and aspirational intellectual workforce, the UD will continue its breakthrough development, realize its strategic goal of becoming a National University, and fulfill its mission to drive progress in education, science, and technology for the region and the entire country.

UD Media