VinUniversity accelerates talent attraction, transitions toward a world-class Research University model

Hanoi, January 15, 2026 – VinUniversity commemorated its 6th Anniversary, while simultaneously launching its second Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) with the goal of accelerating the attraction of domestic and international talent to support its transition toward a world-class research university model.

In its first five years (2020–2025), VinUniversity became the youngest and fastest university in the world to achieve the QS 5-Star Overall rating. This period also marked three national “firsts” in Vietnam for a young and dynamic university: internationalization, personalized learning experience, and scientific research performance.

Renowned mathematician Prof. Vũ Hà Văn appointed Chief Scientific Officer of the VinUniversity Big Data Research Center

Prof. Dr. Phan Mạnh Hưởng (ranked in the Top 1% worldwide in Physics and Materials Science) appointed Chief Scientific Officer  of the VinUniversity Materials Technology Center

In terms of internationalization, VinUniversity is currently one of the most globally integrated universities in Vietnam. 100% of its academic programs meet international standards and are delivered entirely in English; nearly 50% of faculty members are international, and almost 5% of students are international (compared to the national average of 0.4%). Each year, the University hosts approximately 1,000 international faculty members and students from 33 countries participating in academic exchange and research programs, reinforcing Vietnam’s position on the global higher education map.

Regarding the learning experience, VinUniversity maintains a faculty-to-student ratio comparable to leading Ivy League universities (1 faculty member per 11 students), enabling personalized academic pathways, internships, and close research mentorship. 80% of faculty members hold doctoral degrees (national average: 35.7%), 20% are Professors or Associate Professors (national average: 8%), supported by modern facilities and world-class pedagogical approaches.

In terms of research performance and quality, after only five years, VinUniversity has emerged as one of the most dynamic research centers in the region, particularly in key fields such as health sciences, environment, artificial intelligence, robotics, data science, and interdisciplinary sciences. In 2025, each VinUniversity faculty member published an average of 3.3 SCOPUS-indexed publications, with over 69% in Q1 journals, far exceeding the national average. Research expenditure accounted for 38% of total new operational investment. Notably, 21 VinUniversity faculty members were recognized among the Top 2% most influential scientists worldwide by Stanford University and Elsevier, and five young faculty members received the Golden Globe Science and Technology Award sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

VinUniversity is home to 21 scientists ranked among the Top 2% most influential scientists in the world

VinUniversity brings together five young scientists who have received the Golden Globe Science and Technology Award, sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology

With these remarkable achievements, VinUniversity has concluded its first phase as an elite teaching-focused university and entered its second Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) with a central objective: accelerating talent attraction and transitioning toward a world-class research university.

Specifically, VinUniversity continues to prioritize the development and cultivation of an elite academic workforce and the building of a strong, multidisciplinary, and practice-oriented academic community. The University has honored and awarded certificates to 48 full-time Professors and Associate Professors and 24 affiliated Professors and Associate Professors currently working at hospitals and enterprises within the Vingroup ecosystem, and will continue to advance faculty development in the coming years.

Alongside internal faculty development, VinUniversity also announced the launch of the VinUniversity Assistant Professorships (VAP) – a prestigious recruitment program for outstanding early-career scientists worldwide, offering competitive compensation and research funding of up to USD 1 million per candidate. The program recruits a maximum of five VAP positions per year and is chaired by Professor Ling San, Senior Vice President, with evaluation committees comprising leading professors from Princeton, Johns Hopkins, Nanyang Technological University, HKUST, ETH Zurich, and other prestigious universities.

In particular, to enhance practical training effectiveness and precision research, VinUniversity is collaborating with Vinmec to invest in the development of the Vinmec – VinUniversity Teaching Hospital, aimed at accelerating medical education linked with clinical practice, promoting translational research and precision medicine, and forming an internationally standardized academic–clinical–technology ecosystem.

Prof. Dr. Trần Trung Dũng, CEO of Vinmec, and Dr. Lê Mai Lan, President of VinUniversity, agree on the investment plan for the Vinmec–VinUniversity University Hospital

Sharing insights on VinUniversity’s development journey, Professor Tan Yap Peng, Provost of VinUniversity, stated: “The 6th Anniversary marks a new milestone in VinUniversity’s development journey – officially transitioning from an elite teaching university to a world-class research university. This represents not only a significant advancement in educational quality and academic environment, but also a strong commitment by VinUniversity to building a globally competitive research university for Vietnam, capable of contributing to the global academic and innovation community.”

A panoramic view of the VinUniversity community celebrating the University’s 6th Anniversary