French professor Odon Vallet on August 26 presented 219 scholarships worth 1.1 billion VND to outstanding students and pupils from five south central cities and provinces.

Scholarships, each worth 7.5 million VND were granted to 34 students from Da Nang University and Quy Nhon University while the remaining 185 students from Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Da Nang each received 5 million VND.

This is the 8th year that Vietnamese students in the central region have received such scholarships, which aim to encourage disadvantaged students excelling in study.

As a doctor of law in the France-based Sorbonne University, Odon Vallet devoted all of his family inheritance, worth 100 million EUR, to grant scholarships to poor students in France and Vietnam.

Since 2001, through Meet Vietnam organisation, Odon Vallet scholarships have been awarded to thousands of Vietnamese students. In 2010, the scholarships worth 12 billion VND will be granted to 2,150 students nationwide./.