On the afternoon of December 13, H.E. Mr. Julien Guerrier – the New Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Vietnam paid a courtesy visit to the University of Danang (UD). Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu - President of UD chaired the meeting and worked with the EU Delegation.

UD was honored to be the first university to have a chance to welcome and work with the New EU Ambassador to Vietnam

Attending the meeting were Mr. Carsten Schittek - Head of Trade Section and Ms. Vu Nguyen Ngoc Anh - Project Manager; Senior Representatives of Administrative Affairs Office and relevant departments of UD (Science Technology and Environment, International Cooperation, Planning-Finance, Student Affairs); leaders of UD's member universities (University of Economics, University of Science and Education, University of Technology and Education).

The meeting at UD

President Nguyen Ngoc Vu expressed his honor to welcome H.E. Mr. Julien Guerrier - the New EU Ambassador to Vietnam and the EU delegation to visit and work at UD.

Introducing the overview and highlights of UD, a key regional university, multi-level, multi-disciplinary with 06 member universities and affiliated units, institutes, faculties, nearly 2,600 staff and lecturers, and more than 50,000 full-time students, UD President shared that, with nearly 30 years of establishment and development of UD as well as nearly 50 years of history of its member universities, UD had trained tens of thousands high-quality engineers, economic managers, teachers, and businessmen, serving the socio–economic development of Central Vietnam and Central Highlands in particular, the whole country in general

The meeting at UD

Currently, UD’s alumni are holding key positions in state agencies, schools, and businesses nationwide. UD has been playing an important role in the career of industrialization and modernization of the whole country, the Central area, and Western Highlands as a whole. Currently, UD is identified as one of the three training and scientific research centers in the country, therefore, the Vietnamese government is planning to upgrade UD to be a national university of Vietnam along with the 2 Vietnam National Universities (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) to strengthen facilities to meet the development requirements in the upcoming period.

President Nguyen Ngoc Vu gave a souvenir to H. E. Mr. Julien Guerrier

Over the past nearly 30 years, UD has established cooperation relationships with more than 40 universities of European Union. The collaborative activities between UD and European universities have brought many opportunities for UD's students and lecturers to study and do research at universities of Europe and for UD to enhance the facility capacity. This cooperation has contributed to improving the quality of UD training and research.

President Nguyen Ngoc Vu gave special thanks to H. E. Mr. Julien Guerrier and the EU for their visit to UD and hoped that the EU Ambassador would support connecting UD with more prestigious partners from Europe in co-seeking and deploying international projects, increasing the mobility programs, and contributing to improving the quality of training and scientific research.

H.E. Mr. Julien Guerrier gave a souvenir to President Nguyen Ngoc Vu

At the meeting, H.E. Mr. Julien Guerrier expressed his pleasure when visiting UD for the first time since receiving a new mission in September this year.

The EU Ambassador gave sincere thanks to the President of UD for giving a warm and respectful welcome to the EU delegation. The new Ambassador highly appreciated the role and international reputation of UD; and expressed his impression at the results that UD participated in, achieved, and contributed to the overall success of the Erasmus+ Program.

Group photo taking

A talk of the EU Ambassador with UD’s lecturers and students

The EU's goal is to support Vietnam in achieving its goals and strategies to become a developed, high-income country by 2045, realizing its responsible commitment to the  "net zero"world. (Cutting greenhouse gas emissions to nearly zero).

To realize these goals and orientations, the EU has "tools" and practical support programs such as digital transformation, environmental protection, and sustainable development; At the same time, the EU also focuses on investment in the field of trade (the EU is currently the second export market and also one of Vietnam's most important trade partners).

The closeness, friendliness, prestige, and deep understanding

by EU Ambassador to Vietnam Julien Guerrier

leaving an impression on UD’s lecturers and students

Through exchanging and learning about the reality of EU businesses investing in Vietnam, including Da Nang city, the Ambassador learned that one of the important reasons for choosing Da Nang is that the city has many favorable conditions, especially high-quality human resources trained from prestigious universities such as UD.

Regarding research and education cooperation, Ambassador Julien Guerrier shared that the EU focuses on developing cooperation with typical universities such as "Horizon Europe" Program, which was the largest research cooperation program worldwide, and the "Erasmus+" Program, which included research on the identities and characteristics of countries based on international cooperation, opening up many opportunities for officials, lecturers, and students to exchange, studying, teaching, and researching at European universities.

UD’s Lecturers and students of UD were excited

to interact with the EU Ambassador

"Vietnam is the first Asian partner country to actively participate in both of these programs," emphasized Ambassador Julien Guerrier. Recently, the EU announced the call  for projects submission under the Erasmus+ Program in 2024 and the EU Ambassador hoped that in the coming time, UD as well as other Vietnamese universities would have more lectures, students apply for exchange, study, research and cooperate with EU universities.

A valuable opportunity for students and young lecturers

to exchange, learn, share vision,

understand practical experience with

EU Ambassador to Vietnam

Delegates proposed and wished to increase exchange programs for experts/lecturers and students; deploy joint research, and cooperation programs between UD and EU universities; and co-organize international scientific events and conferences.

UD President hoped that the Ambassador and EU partners would continue to pay attention and support UD to contribute and actively participate in EU projects, especially in the field of education and training.

The relationship between the EU and Vietnam

is getting better and better based on

human factors and cooperation

in education and research

After the meeting with UD leaders, EU Ambassador to Vietnam Julien Guerrier had a talk with UD staff, lecturers, and students, thereby sharing the mission, vision, and direction of sustainable development goals in the context of globalization.