Thai Nguyen University Meets with the Delegation from the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Vietnam

On the morning of October 21, Assoc. Prof. Hoang Van Hung, Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Thai Nguyen University (TNU), chaired a meeting with a delegation from the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Vietnam, led by H.E. Francisco Noel R. Fernandez III, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Vietnam. The meeting focused on cooperation in education and training, student and faculty exchanges, and opportunities to expand educational partnerships in the coming years.

An overview of the meeting.

The delegation included Ms. Jackielou-Mary G. Huelgas, Consul at the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Vietnam, and other members. Attending the meeting on behalf of TNU were representatives of the university’s Office, functional departments, and the University of Agriculture and Forestry, as well as leaders, lecturers, and students of the International School, including 87 Filipino students currently studying at TNU.

More Than 20 Years of Educational Cooperation: Expanding Learning Opportunities for Students from Both Countries.

Assoc. Prof. Hoang Van Hung, Secretary of the Party Committee and President of TNU, delivers his remarks at the meeting.

In his remarks, Assoc. Prof. Hoang Van Hung provided an overview of TNU’s scale, strengths, and development orientations. As one of Vietnam’s five key national and regional universities, TNU offers multidisciplinary education across more than 350 academic programs. The University has nearly 4,000 staff and lecturers and more than 125,000 students, including approximately 1,000 international students from nearly 30 countries and territories.

Each year, around 12,000 learners graduate from TNU, supplying qualified human resources to domestic and international labor markets and contributing to the development of agencies, organizations, businesses, communities, and the country as a whole.

Highlighting the history of cooperation between TNU and Philippine educational institutions, Assoc. Prof. Hoang Van Hung noted that the partnership began with TNU’s first working visit to public universities in the Philippines in 2004, followed by the first joint training program with Laguna Polytechnic University in 2007. Since then, cooperation has continued to expand in both scale and scope.

To date, TNU has signed cooperation agreements with more than 60 universities and colleges in the Philippines and implemented approximately 20 joint training programs. Nearly 2,000 Vietnamese students have completed bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in the fields of including English Language, English Language Teaching, Business Administration, Educational Management, and Environmental Management.

In addition, approximately 500 Vietnamese students have been sent to the Philippines to pursue degree programs, while around 300 staff members and lecturers have participated in intensive English language training courses.

Since 2011, TNU has awarded scholarships to more than 300 Filipino students pursuing undergraduate and master's degrees in various fields, including International Business, Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Environmental Management, Food Technology, Agricultural Economics, and Engineering. In the third quarter of 2026 alone, TNU admitted 31 Filipino students to study at its International School and awarded them scholarships.

A significant milestone in the friendship and cooperation between TNU and its Philippine partners was the inauguration of statues of President Ho Chi Minh and Philippine national hero José Rizal on the campus of TNU’s International School on May 2, 2019. The statues symbolize the friendship, cultural ties, and spirit of cooperation between the peoples of Vietnam and the Philippines.

Building on these achievements, TNU expressed its hope for continued support from the Ambassador and the Philippine Embassy in Vietnam to promote cooperation among educational and research institutions, organizations, and businesses in both countries, while expanding opportunities for student and faculty exchanges, academic collaboration, and cultural engagement.

Expanding Cooperation Towards New Development Opportunities

H.E. Francisco Noel R. Fernandez III, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Vietnam, speaks at the meeting.

Speaking at the meeting, H.E. Francisco Noel R. Fernandez III thanked TNU’s leadership for its warm reception and highly appreciated the educational cooperation established between the two sides over the past two decades. He affirmed that these achievements provide an important foundation for further strengthening bilateral cooperation in the new period.

The Ambassador expressed his desire to promote exchanges of Filipino lecturers to teach at TNU, strengthen student mobility, and develop joint training programs. These initiatives, he noted, would help improve educational quality, foster academic exchange, and further strengthen the longstanding friendship between Vietnam and the Philippines.

Assoc. Prof. Hoang Van Hung, Secretary of the Party Committee and President of TNU, presents a commemorative gift to the delegation from the Philippine Embassy in Vietnam.

Delegates pose for a commemorative photo.

As relations between Vietnam and the Philippines continue to strengthen and develop, the meeting opened up new prospects for cooperation between TNU and Philippine educational institutions and partners, with a shared goal of establishing practical, effective, and sustainable collaborative programs.

The delegation from the Philippine Embassy in Vietnam meets with TNU’s International School.

Delegates attend the program.

A traditional dance performance presented by Filipino students.

Filipino lecturers and students currently teaching and studying at TNU attend the program.

As part of the visit, the delegation from the Philippine Embassy in Vietnam toured TNU’s Digital Center and held a working session with the International School to learn more about the University’s learning environment, facilities, and international cooperation activities.