VinUniversity’s Global Academic Recruitment Tour in May: Forging Global Partnerships and Connects with Academic Communities in Europe

VinUniversity’s Global Academic Recruitment Tour continued across Europe and Japan in May, building on an earlier start in the UK and Hong Kong in April. Through a series of meetings and institutional conversations, the tour reflected the university’s ongoing efforts to grow its academic community and the relationships it has been cultivating with partners around the world.

Japan (May 9 – 13)

Prof. Umberto Ansaldo, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences attended the IAFOR 17th Asian Conference on Arts & Humanities (ACAH2026) in Tokyo, presenting on Senior Academic Leadership, before hosting a gathering with a group of academic minds in Japan.

Prof. Umberto Ansaldo on Senior Academic Leadership, ACAH 2026

Small as it was, the gathering brought together people who were genuinely curious about VinUni and open to a real conversation. Discussions covered research opportunities, academic careers, and the VinUni 500 initiative. Several scholars expressed interest in learning more, and follow-up conversations are already underway.

Warm gathering between VinUniversity and scholars in Tokyo, Japan

Europe (May 7–15)

The European leg covered nine days across Barcelona, Ghent, and Paris, engaging more than 120 scholars from diverse academic backgrounds, with a strong presence from the Vietnamese diaspora.

In Barcelona, VinUni participated in the IEEE Conference, connecting with scientists at the intersection of technology and academia. The team then traveled to Ghent, where we signed an MOU with Ghent University formalizing dual PhD programs, research collaboration, and expanded student exchange — a next step in a partnership already active across Materials Science, Biomedical Research, and Urban Innovation.

 MOU signing between VinUniversity and Ghent University

20 scholars came together in Ghent for an evening of honest conversation about research, collaboration, and the vision of VinUniversity — with academics from across Belgium curious to learn more about what the university is building.

Academic gathering with VinUniversity in Ghent

Paris was the highlight of European engagement. Three institutional agreements were reached. At Sorbonne University, both sides agreed on a 4+1 program, student exchange, and joint research — building an active collaboration and a Vingroup Scholarship Program presence at the university. With PSL University, a dual and collaborative PhD agreement was signed with EPHE, alongside expanded academic exchange. At Paris-Saclay, both parties reaffirmed a partnership that has been productive for years, with shared research (DATAIA Institute of Paris-Saclay) and ongoing joint funding applications supported by the French Embassy.

VinUniversity and Sorbonne University agree on new academic partnerships

VinUniversity and PSL University sign a dual PhD agreement with EPHE

30 scholars gathered in Paris for what became one of the most memorable stops of the tour. The room was a mix of researchers and faculty at various stages of their careers, and the conversations that followed were candid and wide-ranging — covering research funding, academic freedom, and what it means to build something in Vietnam.

 Academic gathering with VinUniversity in Paris

Takeaways

VinUniversity’s European partnerships run deeper than any single MOU. With Ghent University, joint work in Materials Science and Exosome research has produced co-authored publications, active postdoctoral collaborations, and a partnership driven by Prof. Nguyen Xuan Hung that has minted six PhD graduates. With Sorbonne University, four co-authored papers, an active research internship program, and Vingroup Scholar Bui Thi Thuy Dung — who took home a best paper award at a cybersecurity conference in 2025 — reflect a relationship built on more than institutional goodwill. With Paris Sciences et Lettres University (PSL), the formal agreements signed today trace back to 2019, when Prof. Duong Nguyen Vu co-supervised a doctoral thesis in AI-based aviation systems. With Paris-Saclay University, the relationship has been shaped by people moving in both directions — faculty exchanging seminars, researchers visiting campuses, and joint work through the DATAIA Institute that has quietly accumulated into something substantial.

Next: The United States (June 3–12)

The tour now moves to the United States, with stops across California, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, and Massachusetts. The U.S. leg carries the same spirit: an honest conversation about what VinUni is, where it is going, and what it means to be part of building something from the ground up.

Register to meet VinUni in the U.S.: https://forms.office.com/r/HhA1B3rsYu