Hanoi (VNA) - Semmelweis University of Hungary has initiated a student exchange programme based on agreements signed with the Hanoi Medical University and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, in Ho Chi Minh City.
Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc had a meeting with Hungarian Ambassador to Vietnam Tibor Baloghdi, and Rector of Semmelweis University Bela Merkely to discuss how to enhance educational cooperation between the two countries, especially in medical training.
According to Merkely, with its 250-year development history, Semmelweis University is the leading higher medical education institution in Hungary. It focuses on three main activities of education, innovative research, and healthcare, an internationally recognized centre of knowledge.
Currently, international students account for one-third of the more than 16,000 students in the establishment, including approximately 35 Vietnamese students.
The university not only trains doctors but also provides comprehensive training in various health science disciplines such as dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, midwifery, public health inspection, and health tourism management.
Merkely said besides direct enrollment, Vietnamese students can access study opportunities at the university through long-term and short-term scholarship programmes.
During this visit to Vietnam, Semmelweis University established educational partnerships and initiated a student exchange programme based on agreements signed with Hanoi Medical University and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City.
Ambassador Baloghdi affirmed that the effective coordination between the embassy and the Ministry of Education and Training in recent times has established a convenient process for implementing admissions for this scholarship programme.
Direct visits and working sessions are opportunities for the two sides to better understand each other’s demands, thus making proposals to build stronger cooperative relationships, the diplomat said.
Sharing the joy on excellent cooperation between Vietnam and Hungary in general, and the relationship between Semmelweis University and Vietnamese medical universities in particular, Phuc stated that Hungary offers very good quality education. Vietnamese students and researchers trained in Hungary have made significant contributions to the socioeconomic development of the country after returning home.
The most prominent aspect of education and training cooperation between Vietnam and Hungary is the student exchange programme through scholarships provided by the Hungarian government to Vietnam. During the Hungarian Prime Minister’s visit to Vietnam in September 2017, Hungary announced the provision of 200 scholarships to Vietnam annually for various fields of study.
Deputy Minister Phuc said healthcare education is a highly attractive field for students, but it is also very challenging. He added that the ministry always encourages cooperation between Vietnamese medical universities and Semmelweis University.
Currently, the ministry is implementing educational cooperation programmes between Vietnam and Hungary for the 2022-2024 period, fully utilising the 200 scholarships that the Hungarian government grants to Vietnam annually. It encourages universities to engage in bilateral education cooperation in all training fields.
The cooperation agreement will expire on December 31, 2024. Therefore, the ministry proposed the two sides sign a cooperation agreement for the 2025-2027 period to have a legal basis for implementing cooperation activities in the new phase./.
