VINUNIVERSITY CAMPUS OPENING CEREMONY

Hanoi – 15 January 2020 – The campus of the newly established VinUniversity officially opened in Ocean Park, Hanoi. This historic event, a culmination of a construction period of just 14 months, signals to the world that VinUniversity is ready to accept and welcome its first batch of students in Fall 2020. This event follows another major and historic milestone in VinUniversity’s relatively short timeline: the official approval from the Ministry of Education and Training for the establishment of the University as a university of excellence.

Several distinguished guests including the Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, the Minister of Education, the Chairman of Vingroup (the sponsor of VinUniversity), foreign diplomats, heads of other universities, and heads of major companies were present to celebrate this occasion with the faculty and staff of VinUniversity.

In the afternoon, the first-ever group of students and their parents were welcomed to VinUniversity. These pioneering students are among the first to pursue a higher education transformation with VinUniversity through their early admission applications, and it was a delight to watch them as they explored and enjoyed the campus, which will be home to many of them soon.

VinUniversity is the first private, not-for-profit university in Vietnam. It follows the model of university of excellence that aims to develop talents for the future. VinUniversity has been built in collaboration with Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania in the US. Its first batch of about 300 undergraduate students will arrive on campus in Fall 2020 and will enroll in one of three colleges: College of Engineering and Computer Science, College of Health Sciences, and College of Business and Administration. VinUni’s faculty come from all over the world, with PhDs and academic experience from leading US and European universities. Vingroup has committed over 6,500 billion VND to VinUni, of which 3,000 billion VND is earmarked for student scholarships and financial aid to ensure that any talented student has access to an excellent education regardless of financial background.

The university campus is built on 23 hectares of land and comprises nine blocks. The exterior is built in a Gothic architecture style characterized by vertical pillars bearing the message “The University of Enlightenment”. The symbol of the sun shining the light of knowledge adorns the main administrative building. The campus is green, smart, and energy-efficient boasting 84% green space, many rooftop gardens, and solar panels on the entire 1,000 square meter roof of the lab building.

The interior of VinUniversity is strikingly modern with the highest quality infrastructure and technology for research and teaching. The student dormitories are built with the concept of “co-living, co-working, co-learning” offering plenty of spaces to gather, socialize, and work together. The sports complex includes an olympic-size swimming pool and indoor and outdoor fitness and recreational facilities. The classrooms are flexible, designed to adapt to the learning and teaching needs of the students and faculty. The research labs are well-equipped to welcome state-of-the-art research equipment that VinUniversity has procured. The library is an open, cheerful, welcoming space for quiet study or group work. VinUniversity faculty are excited about the new knowledge that will be created here, and at their role in molding the compassionate, aspirational, thoughtful, and highly-skilled leaders and change-makers that will be studying here soon.