President Truong Tan Sang has expressed his hope that the Vietnam National University – Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCMC) will set an example for the nation by offering training courses up to world-class standards over the next 10-15 years.

Gracing a ceremony marking VNU-HCMC’s 20th anniversary in Ho Chi Minh City on January 27, the President asked the university to take initiative in reforming studying and teaching methodology as well as improving the quality of its research studies.

He advised them to develop a contingent of qualified lecturers and managers, extend its partnerships with peers both at home and abroad, and gradually exercise autonomy in several spheres.

The VNU-HCMC was established as a national multi-disciplinary university on January 27, 1995, formed by merging nine existing universities in Ho Chi Minh City. Chartered by the Government, its mission has been to become Vietnam’s premier institute of higher education and to better serve the country.

It has forged reciprocal agreements with over 120 universities in 20 countries, ensuring relevance in the international arena by allowing Vietnamese students to study abroad and bringing foreign exchange students to their campus.

As a member of the Association of Universities of the Francophone (AUF), the ASEAN University Network (AUN) and the Eurocom of six leading European universities, the VNU-HCMC boasts a dormitory capable of hosting 60,000 students and numerous office buildings, laboratories and study areas.

Each year, the university graduates over 10,000 engineer and bachelor studies students as well as over 2,000 master and doctorate degree recipients.

Between 2006 and 2013, the university had 412 articles published in international magazines, a significant increase from the 110 articles prior to 2006.-VNA