VINGROUP LAUNCHES FIRST COHORT OF THE 20,000 APPLIED AI TALENT PROGRAM

Hanoi, April 2, 2026 – VinUniversity has officially launched the first cohort of the 20,000 Applied AI Talent Program, welcoming 500 participants. The program is a Vingroup initiative designed to develop high-quality human resources as artificial intelligence continues to reshape the economy, labor market, and national competitiveness.

Selected from thousands of applications, the 500 inaugural participants bring diverse backgrounds spanning technology, engineering, and business. Among them, 63% are final-year students from universities across Vietnam, 31% are university graduates, and nearly 5% hold master’s or doctoral degrees. According to the intake survey, more than 90% of participants enrolled with the goal of gaining hands-on project experience and securing employment opportunities upon completion.

Dr. Le Mai Lan – Vice Chairwoman of Vingroup and President of VinUniversity’s University Council – delivered the opening remarks and officially launched the program.

The program is structured as a 12-week full-time course following a 3+3+6 model: 3 weeks of foundational training, 3 weeks of applied simulation, and 6 weeks of direct work placement at partner enterprises. Following the foundation phase, participants are assigned to one of three specialization tracks: AI Products, AI Infrastructure, or AI Applications.

Prof. Duong Nguyen Vu, Dr. Dinh Ngoc Thanh, and Dr. Le Duy Dung shared insights on the program’s educational philosophy, curriculum structure, and introduced the faculty and mentor team of the Practical AI Talent Training Program.

During the first phase, participants follow an intensive daily schedule running from morning through evening. Mornings are dedicated to theory, afternoons to “Vibe Coding” sessions and lab work, while evenings and weekends are reserved for Build and Hackathon activities.

The second phase simulates a real-world working environment, where participants build, test, and refine AI products directly.

In the final phase, participants work full-time on real enterprise projects under the direct guidance of engineers and technology experts within the Vingroup ecosystem.

The first cohort of participants in Vingroup’s 20,000 Applied AI Talent Program

Throughout the program, participants are trained to develop and deploy AI solutions in business settings, including AI Agent models. The curriculum focuses on three core competency areas: product thinking applied to business problems; technical infrastructure development; and AI application building. Participants also practice “Vibe Coding” using industry tools such as Cursor, Claude Code, and Copilot to accelerate product development.

Dr. Dinh Ngoc Thanh introduces the program’s hands-on mentor team

Prof. Duong Nguyen Vu – Vice Provost and Chief Scientific Officer of the Center for AI Research at VinUniversity – stated: “We are not training people who simply know how to use AI or how to write code. The program is designed so that participants simultaneously develop three capabilities: product thinking – understanding business problems; responsible use of AI; and, most importantly, solid AI skills that allow them to contribute from day one after graduation. This approach significantly narrows the gap between the classroom and the lab, and from the lab to industry.”

Dr. Dao Duc Minh – Deputy General Director of VinSmart Future, Vingroup – shared: “The program’s core value lies in placing participants not just in a learning environment, but in a high-intensity, high-pressure setting that closely mirrors real enterprise conditions. Being trained at that pace, participants will adapt more readily, get up to speed faster, and deliver more substantive results.”

The faculty and hands-on mentor team were formally introduced at the First Cohort Opening Ceremony.

In line with its long-term commitment to talent development, Vingroup covers 100% of tuition and provides a monthly stipend of VND 8 million per participant throughout the training period. Upon completion, participants will have the opportunity to join companies within the Vingroup ecosystem, with projected monthly salaries ranging from VND 20 to 50 million depending on individual performance. Outstanding participants will be considered for advanced programs to develop into specialists and AI project leaders.

The first 500 participants officially join the 20,000 Practical AI Talents Training Program.

Going forward, VinUniversity will continue rolling out subsequent cohorts to expand access to the program. With a lean, high-intensity approach firmly grounded in enterprise realities, the program aims to develop a new generation of AI professionals – technically capable, highly adaptable, and ready to contribute to solving meaningful challenges in the AI-driven economy.