Assoc. Prof. Vu Anh Dzung, Head of Faculty of Arts & Sciences

A constant forward motion

The three milestones in the life of Prof. Vũ Anh Dũng, the founding Head of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, VinUniversity, are emblematic of the way he approaches life — in a constant forward motion.  This habit of pressing on and advancing step by step to reach a goal was demonstrated when he decided to quit his dream job in Vietnam in order to pursue a Master’s degree abroad, when he was accepted by the University of Cambridge to study his PhD, and when he decided to move from the business sector in order to pursue a career in education.

“Returning home with a good job, I didn’t think I would continue studying for a PhD, which is a long and arduous road. Such study would require many sacrifices, and my future opportunities were not clear. I was fortunate to receive encouragement and support from my family and especially from my advising professors while studying for my MBA. That support gave me the determination to take on the next challenge and pursue a PhD at Cambridge.”

Prof. Vũ Anh Dũng spent nearly two years in preparation and gave up many opportunities in order to get into the University of Cambridge, where he studied with top scholars.

“That was indeed a major turning point for me. Turning down good opportunities has never been easy, but it was important for me to focus on achieving my goals. When planning a life’s course, one must choose the most suitable direction. I think I made the right one.”

Why education?

For Prof. Vũ Anh Dũng, every choice is about the value that he can bring to others, and he sees education as a noble medium that creates value for society. He understands the roles and responsibilities of a teacher, as well as the great changes that each teacher can make due to his experience with his own professors and teachers, which continue to serve as his inspiration.

“If it hadn’t been for the professors who encouraged and guided me, I probably wouldn’t have gone this far. As someone who was inspired, I understand the importance of a teacher and the influence of a teacher on their students,” said Prof. Vũ Anh Dũng.

Talking about the joy of being a teacher, he proudly shared, “Choosing the career of a lecturer, even though it is hard and tiring all year, is rewarding. When November 20th comes, the gratitude received from students, sometimes simply through a message or by listening to students’ success stories, motivates me to continue. I feel more confident about the path I have chosen and am proud of the values that teachers are trying to instill.”

Choose VinUniversity, choose the one that shares the same vision

As a forward thinking and aspiring person with the perspective that education should be an equal and fair opportunity for all, Prof. Vũ Anh Dũng has found common ground in the mission of VinUniversity. As a university of excellence, VinUniversity has a mission of creating changes, a national dream, and the desire to bring equal educational opportunities for all talents. He believes that he can be a part of this quintessential dream. At VinUniversity, he has found passionate colleagues in an international and open environment in which every individual can express themselves.

Prof. Vũ Anh Dũng said, “I chose VinUniversity because I believe this is the place where I can continue to be challenged and developed. VinUniversity has the mission of creating talents for the future, bringing together excellent lecturers and excellent students, and being a high-class academic environment. I believe this is a place where faculty and students can share knowledge and aspirations and make breakthroughs in higher education in Vietnam.”

Prof. Vũ Anh Dũng was one of the people who laid the first bricks of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and was tasked with equipping students with general and interdisciplinary knowledge, as well as personalizing their academic and career development trajectories. His journey with VinUniversity will be full of challenges ahead, but with the belief that education makes a change, he and his colleagues will keep moving on the path to creating the first university of excellence in Vietnam.

“I do believe VinUniversity is not only a university that will provide knowledge, but also a place to create knowledge and research that will bring value for human life and for the knowledge-based economy. I am so proud that I have the honor to be one of the first people to join hands in building the university of excellence, VinUniversity.”