On September 17th 2019, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology formally held the Announcement Ceremony of decisions on recognising Chairman of University Council and Rector of USTH.The ceremony was attended by Acad. Prof. Chau Van Minh – Member of the Party Central Executive Committee, President of Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), the governing body of USTH, Acad. Prof. Nguyen Van Hieu, Mr. Eric Molay, Attaché of Science and University Cooperation of the French Embassy in Vietnam, as well as representatives from institutes, businesses, organisations, and the entirety of USTH’s staff and students.
At the ceremony, Acad. Prof. Chau Van Minh awarded the decisions on appointing strategic management positions at USTH. Specifically, Prof. Dr. Phan Ngoc Minh (born in 1969), current Vice President of VAST, was recognised as the Chairman of the University Council; Prof. Etienne Saur (born in 1960), former Head of International Relations of the French Agricultural, Veterinary and Forestry Institute, was appointed Principal Rector, while Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dinh Thi Mai Thanh (born in 1974), acting Rector since 9/2018, was appointed Rector of USTH.
While delivering the congratulatory speech and assigning responsibilities to the newly-appointed Chairman of University Council and two Rectors, Acad. Prof. Chau Van Minh emphasised that the appointment of experienced, talented and enthusiastic Vietnamese and French leaders to strategic management positions in the university shows the two governments’ determination to build USTH as a university of world-class excellence.Speaking as the Chairman of University Council, Prof. Dr. Phan Ngoc Minh expressed his gratitude toward Acad. Prof. Chau Van Minh and the Party Standing Committee of VAST for trusting him with the role, and promised to fulfill his responsibilities, coordinate with other members of the University Council and Rector Board to tighten the close relationships with French universities and research institutes, as well as with subordinate research units under the governance of VAST, so as to successfully accomplish the goals set out by the two governments.
Significantly, for the first time in the history of USTH, there would be 2 Rectors participating in the management: 1 Rector from France and 1 Rector from Vietnam. This might be seen as a big change, and at the same time, an expected result from the integration of cultures and education between the two countries , which from the beginning has shaped USTH’s ways of management, training and research.On behalf of the two newly-appointed Rectors, Prof. Etienne Saur extended his appreciation to Acad. Prof. Chau Van Minh, members of the University Council, The Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation of France, The Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France has trusted him and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dinh Thi Mai Thanh with such important responsibilities. He promised to do his best to build USTH as a university of world-class excellence, in accordance with the Intergovernmental Agreement between Vietnam and France for the period from 2019 to 2023, signed on November 2nd, 2018.
Prof. Etienne Saur also stated that USTH’s training strategies in the future would be to continue offer Vietnam and France co-accredited master’s degrees, and at the same time, to kick off the development of Vietnam – France double degree bachelor’s programs, as well as to increase the number of academic and research mobility activities for students, staff and researchers with French universities and institutes.Additionally, USTH will also put a strong focus on improvement of research quality by strengthening the cooperation relationships with French universities and research institutes, subordinate research units under the governance of VAST, as well as collaborate with businesses to extend international joint laboratories and establish research groups, in order to attract grants and sponsorships from international sources.
To conclude the speech, Prof. Etienne Saur showed his confidence that with the strong support from the Government of Vietnam, the Government of France, VAST and the Consortium of French universities and research institutes, USTH will steadily grow into a university of world-class excellence in science and technology, becoming the symbol of the strong collaboration relationship between Vietnam and France.
| Prof. Dr. Phan Ngoc Minh was born in 1969, and currently serves as the Vice President of VAST. He has been holding important positions during his tenure in VAST, such as: Head of The Laboratory for Electronic Materials and Devices; Director of The National Key Laboratory for Electronic Materials and Devices; Vice Director of The Institute of Materials Science; Deputy Head and Head of the Department of Finance and Planning, Director of the Graduate University of Science and Technology, VAST.Prof. Etienne Saur was born in 1960, and is the former Head of International Relations of the French Agricultural, Veterinary and Forestry Institute. He is a brilliant scientist, who also has had years of experience in leading roles in the fields of international coordination and higher education in France and South East Asia. Prof. Etienne Saur was chosen by the Government of France and VAST among many other excellent candidates to be the Principal Rector of USTH in the coming development period.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dinh Thi Mai Thanh was born in 1974, and is the former Deputy Director of the Institute for Tropical Technology. Before officially appointed as Rector of USTH, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dinh Thi Mai Thanh has been the acting Rector since 9/2018. As a scientist, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dinh Thi Mai Thanh has accomplished significant scientific achievements, leading and partaking in many scientific research projects, publishing several domestic and international papers. In 2010, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dinh Thi Mai Thanh was awarded the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards. |