Vietnam attends regional Francophone tertiary education forum

Bangkok (VNA) – Representatives from 52 French-teaching universities in Vietnam attended the Regional Conference of Rectors of the Francophone University Agency in the Asia-Pacific region (AUF) (CONFRASIE) in Bangkok, Thailand, on April 4.

The biennial event, the 12th of its version, was also attended by representatives from over 100 educational organisations and research institutes from Cambodia, the Republic of Korea, China, Laos, Mongolia, New Caledonia, Fiji, and Thailand.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Jean-Paul de Gaudemar, AUF Director underlined the need to protect French language, promote teaching and scientific studies at Francophone universities.

Themed “Universities in the Asia – Pacific region: today and tomorrow”, the conference discussed challenges in tertiary education, including training and research quality, graduates’ job opportunities, as well as the social responsibility of universities.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency, Director of the AUF’s Asia – Pacific Office Sophie Goedefroit said the event aimed to establish dialogues among members, thus boosting French-teaching tertiary education in the region, while developing a support network among members in the region and the world.

According to CONFRASIE President Nguyen Ngoc Dien, the event’s agenda laid the foundation for the conference of the AUF university members worldwide which is slated for May in Marrakech in Morocco.

On the occasion, CONFRASIE welcomed two new members, the Republic of Korea’s Ajou University, and the Diplomatic Academy of China, raising the total number of members to 85.-VNA