Thai Nguyen University Surveys Site for Construction of a New Campus in Bac Ninh Province

On the morning of June 29, Thai Nguyen University (TNU), in collaboration with the People's Committee of Bac Ninh Province, held a working session and conducted a field survey of the proposed site for the construction of Thai Nguyen University – Campus 2 in Bac Ninh Province.

Overview of the working session.

Mr. Pham Van Thinh, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Vice Chairman of the Bac Ninh Provincial People's Committee, together with representatives from the Provincial People's Committee Office, the Department of Construction, the Department of Education and Training, the Department of Finance, and leaders of relevant local authorities attended the meeting.

The Thai Nguyen University delegation was led by Assoc. Prof. Hoang Van Hung, Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Thai Nguyen University; Dr. Nguyen Van Tao, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice President of TNU; Dr. Nguyen Hong Lien, Vice President of TNU; along with leaders from the University Office, the Department of Academic and Student Affairs, the Department of Facilities Management, the International School, the Institute of Excellence in Education and Research, and the University of Economics and Business Administration.

Assoc. Prof. Hoang Van Hung, Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Thai Nguyen University, delivered remarks at the meeting.

In his remarks, Assoc. Prof. Hoang Van Hung emphasized the necessity of establishing Thai Nguyen University – Campus 2 and an Innovation Center in Bac Ninh Province. He affirmed that this is a strategic initiative aimed at expanding the University's development space, strengthening cooperation with the local government, meeting the growing demand for high-quality human resource training, scientific research, technology transfer, and promoting the innovation ecosystem of the province and the surrounding region.

He noted that Thai Nguyen University is a regional university and one of Vietnam's key national higher education institutions, operating under a two-tier governance model and serving as a regional hub for education, scientific research, technology transfer, and regional development. Currently, TNU is among the largest higher education universities in Vietnam, with more than 115,000 students enrolled in nearly 400 academic programs across major disciplines, including medicine and pharmacy, agriculture and forestry, information technology, engineering, economics, and teacher education. With its strong academic staff, modern facilities, and comprehensive education and research ecosystem, the University possesses sufficient capacity to expand its development space and effectively contribute to the implementation of the Party's and the Government major policies on high-quality human resource development, science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation, thereby supporting the socio-economic development of Bac Ninh Province, the region, and the country.

Regarding the rationale for selecting Bac Ninh as a strategic location for expansion, the President of Thai Nguyen University pointed out that current enrollment data show that students with permanent residence in Bac Ninh account for the second-largest student population within the entire TNU system (approximately 15%), following only Thai Nguyen Province. Furthermore, approximately 80% of engineering graduates from the University of Technology choosing to work in Bac Ninh's industrial zones. Therefore, establishing a TNU campus in Bac Ninh would significantly reduce educational costs for local residents, expand access to high-quality higher education within the province, and directly supply a stable, highly qualified workforce committed to the long-term development of Bac Ninh.

Regarding the proposed educational model and science and technology services, Assoc. Prof. Hoang Van Hung stated that the new campus is expected to focus primarily on practice-oriented applied engineering education for students with entrance examination scores ranging from 15 to 25 points. These student groups are regarded as the core workforce capable of directly meeting the production and operational demands of local industrial zones. Alongside the development of Campus 2, Thai Nguyen University also plans to establish an Innovation Hub to promote scientific and technological transfer while strengthening collaboration among government agencies, scientists, and enterprises.

To accommodate an estimated 10,000–20,000 students in the coming years, Thai Nguyen University proposed a flexible initial approach by surveying and renovating underutilized public infrastructure in the province, enabling priority academic programs to commence operations promptly and facilitating the rapid and effective implementation of this strategic project.

During the meeting, representatives from the Bac Ninh Department of Construction presented a planning report, including planning maps and two proposed land sites within Subdivision Planning Areas No. 13 and No. 14. Representatives from provincial departments, agencies, and local authorities then discussed the feasibility of each option, examining legal frameworks, land use, available resources, implementation roadmaps, as well as the advantages and challenges associated with each proposed location.

Mr. Pham Van Thinh, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Vice Chairman of the Bac Ninh Provincial People's Committee, delivered concluding remarks.

In his concluding remarks, Vice Chairman Pham Van Thinh highly appreciated Thai Nguyen University's proactive approach and determination in proposing the expansion of its educational facilities in Bac Ninh Province. To expedite the project's next steps, he requested that the Department of Construction continue to take the lead in close coordination with the Provincial People's Committee Office, relevant departments, agencies, and local authorities to thoroughly review the current status of the proposed sites and comprehensively assess transportation and urban infrastructure connectivity to ensure the most effective planning solution. He also urged relevant agencies to promptly address the recommendations of the University, facilitate all necessary legal procedures, and cooperate in identifying the optimal site so that the project can be implemented as soon as possible, thereby contributing to the development of high-quality human resources for the socio-economic growth of Bac Ninh Province and the broader region.

Leaders of Thai Nguyen University presented commemorative gifts to representatives of Bac Ninh Province.

Immediately following the meeting, leaders of the Bac Ninh Provincial People's Committee and Thai Nguyen University agreed to assign their respective focal agencies to promptly complete the necessary legal procedures in order to realize this strategic project.