On August 5, 2026, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thanh Bac, Vice President of the University of Danang (UD), chaired a reception and working session with a delegation from Malaysian higher education institutions, led by Ms. Koh Bee Ching, Deputy Education Consul of the Malaysia Education Promotion Centre in Ho Chi Minh City.

The delegation included representatives from the German-Malaysian Institute (GMI), Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), HELP University, INTI International University, the Centre for Education and Tourism, iTrain Asia, and AUG Student Services (representing Heriot-Watt University, Le Cordon Bleu, among others). The meeting was also attended by representatives of UD's member universities and functional departments.

Welcoming the delegation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thanh Bac expressed his pleasure at receiving the representatives of Malaysian higher education institutions and highlighted UD's commitment to strengthening international academic cooperation.

Introducing UD, Vice President Le Thanh Bac provided an overview of UD as a key multidisciplinary regional university in Vietnam. With six member universities and several affiliated education and research institutions, UD has a long-standing tradition in education, scientific research, and the development of high-quality human resources serving the Central Highlands, Central Vietnam, and the nation as a whole.

Highlighting the shared aspirations of ASEAN member countries, he noted several advantages for expanding higher education cooperation between Vietnam and Malaysia, including geographical proximity, the availability of English-medium academic programs, affordable tuition fees, and strong academic offerings in emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Information Technology, FinTech, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, and International Business.

These strengths provide a solid foundation for deeper collaboration, particularly as UD has been selected by the Vietnamese Government as one of the country's four strategically invested universities to serve as a model for Vietnam's higher education system, alongside the two Vietnam National Universities and Hanoi University of Science and Technology.

Commending UD's international reputation and its leading role in advancing the internationalization of higher education, Ms. Koh Bee Ching expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to visit and work with the UD together with representatives of Malaysian educational institutions. She emphasized that the visit offered an excellent opportunity for both sides to better understand each other's development strategies and cooperation needs, thereby fostering stronger partnerships for sustainable development.

During the working session, representatives of the Malaysian universities introduced their respective institutions, shared their academic strengths and development priorities, and expressed their interest in promoting collaboration with UD and its member institutions in education, research, and innovation.

Participants also proposed various ideas and directions for cooperation, extending beyond academic programs and human resource development in strategic and emerging disciplines. They discussed expanding faculty and student exchanges, jointly organizing short-term training courses, creating student transfer opportunities, promoting international academic exchanges, and developing STEM education initiatives.

In an open and constructive atmosphere, both sides identified several priority areas for future collaboration, including: (1) Artificial Intelligence, semiconductors, and digital transformation, with a focus on AI, data science, the Internet of Things (IoT), cybersecurity, and integrated circuit (IC) design; (2) Green energy and sustainable development; (3) Smart cities, transportation, and intelligent infrastructure; and (4) Sustainable tourism, service management, and logistics…

Through these collaborative efforts, the participating institutions aim to share resources, enhance the quality of education and scientific research, strengthen postgraduate research and technology transfer, and contribute to the sustainable development of both Vietnam and higher education across the ASEAN region.

UD Media