On November 10, 2026, the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH) held a working meeting with a delegation from the University of Limoges (Université de Limoges, France) to explore opportunities to strengthen cooperation in several fields, including Information and Communication Technology, Mathematics, and Medicine and Pharmacy.
The University of Limoges delegation included Prof. Vincent Jolivet, President of the University; Prof. Véronique Blanquet, Vice-President for International Relations; and Prof. Samir Adly, representing the XLIM Research Institute.
Representing USTH were Prof. Dinh Thi Mai Thanh, President; Assoc. Prof. Tran Dinh Phong, Vice President; Prof. Patrice Estellé, Director of the Department of Research and International Affairs; Assoc. Prof. Tran Giang Son, Director of the Department of Information and Communication Technology; and Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Thi Van Anh, lecturer at the Department of Medicine and Pharmacy.
At the meeting, Prof. Dinh Thi Mai Thanh expressed her pleasure at welcoming the University of Limoges delegation to USTH. She underscored the importance of international cooperation in improving the University’s quality of training and research, and expressed her hope for further strengthening the collaboration between the two universities.
The University of Limoges is one of USTH’s longstanding French partners and a member of the USTH Consortium, which brings together French universities, engineering schools and research institutions to support the University’s development. In March 2022, the two universities signed a cooperation agreement to jointly deliver a double-degree Bachelor’s program in Information and Communication Technology. Under this program, students complete the first two years of study at USTH and the final year at the University of Limoges, earning a degree from each institution.
Prof. Vincent Jolivet, President of the University of Limoges, affirmed the role of USTH as a key partner with close collaboration in training and research. He hoped that the two universities would continue to strengthen their collaboration in the coming years as the comprehensive strategic partnership between France and Vietnam continues to deepen, especially in higher education, science and technology.
According to Prof. Vincent Jolivet, the University of Limoges has strong expertise in training and research in areas such as materials science, electronics, photonics, information technology and health sciences. These fields also align closely with USTH’s strengths and development orientations, providing a solid basis for the two universities to enhance their connections, expand cooperation, and leverage their respective strengths.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed opportunities to develop co-accredited Master’s programs in Information Technology and Mathematics, while agreeing to promote two-way exchanges of academic staff and students.
One of the key topics discussed in the meeting was the prospect of expanding cooperation into the fields of medicine and pharmacy. The Department of Medicine and Pharmacy at the University of Limoges has a 50-year history, while Limoges University Hospital (CHU Limoges) has identified Vietnam as one of its strategic partners. With the longstanding expertise and experience of the University of Limoges in these fields, the two universities will work together to develop academic programs, send lecturers to teach at USTH, and create opportunities for outstanding students to pursue further studies and research in France.
Prof. Patrice Estellé, Director of Research and International Cooperation, emphasized that scientific research is one of the core pillars of the University’s development strategy. He proposed strengthening doctoral training cooperation through the co-tutelle PhD model, under which doctoral candidates receive joint supervision from researchers at both universities. This model would help connect research groups, leverage the respective expertise of each institution and provide doctoral candidates with opportunities to engage in an international research environment.
Prof. Véronique Blanquet, Vice-President for International Relations at the University of Limoges, expressed the University’s readiness to support USTH through joint education and research initiatives in areas of shared expertise, particularly through double-degree programs and academic staff and student exchanges.
At the end of the meeting, both sides agreed to work towards signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which would provide a framework for further discussions, the identification of priority areas, and gradually turning the shared objectives into concrete activities in the coming years.
