Affirming our high standards and position.

(Baonghean Newspaper) - Over 55 years of construction and development, Vinh University has achieved great accomplishments, becoming a prestigious center for training, scientific research, and technology transfer in the North Central region and the whole country. On the occasion of the opening of the 55th training course and the awarding of the First-Class Independence Medal, Nghe An Newspaper had an interview with Associate Professor, Doctor, Distinguished Educator Dinh Xuan Khoa - Provincial Party Committee member, Party Secretary, and Rector of the university.

PV:Professor, could you please tell us about the outstanding achievements and landmark milestones of Vinh University during its 55 years of development?

Students from the Geography Department of Vinh University practice a surveying lesson. Photo: Sy Minh

Faculty members of Vinh University receive the Labor Medal. Photo: SM

Over its 55-year history, Vinh University has become a multi-level, multi-disciplinary, and multi-field university, making a significant contribution to the cause of national construction and defense. Currently, the university has 18 undergraduate faculties, 3 affiliated schools with 50 undergraduate programs, 31 master's degree programs, 15 doctoral degree programs, and 6 specialized subjects at the high school level (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Informatics, English, Biology). The university currently has over 40,000 students, including undergraduates, trainees, and researchers from 56 provinces and cities nationwide, and over 500 international students from Laos, Thailand, China, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

Vinh University is a major center for education, training, and scientific research in the North Central region and the whole country. Since its establishment, the university has trained 97,134 bachelors and engineers; 7,907 masters and 177 doctoral graduates; and 6,626 specialized high school students, contributing to the goal of raising the intellectual level of the population, developing human resources, and nurturing talent for the country. In the last 5 years alone, the university has implemented over 1,000 scientific projects at various levels; organized over 70 scientific conferences; and published over 1,500 articles by its staff in domestic and international scientific journals. The university consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in Vietnam with the most international publications. The employment rate for graduates in their field of study is over 80%. Many of the School's alumni have become scientists, leading experts, and administrators at educational and training institutions, research institutes, and major science, technology, and economic centers both domestically and internationally.

Throughout its development, Vinh University has been one of the first universities in Vietnam to successfully transition from a single-discipline university to a multi-disciplinary university; consistently implementing comprehensive and groundbreaking innovative solutions in higher education management. Currently, the university has a sufficient number of qualified and well-structured faculty and staff, comprising 969 personnel, including 56 professors, associate professors, and senior lecturers, 133 principal lecturers, 176 PhDs, and 444 Master's degree holders. The university's infrastructure and equipment are being progressively strengthened and modernized to meet the standards of a key university.

Reporter:So, according to the Associate Professor, what contributed to the school's impressive achievements?

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dinh Xuan Khoa:First and foremost, in my opinion, the effective implementation of the Party and State's guidelines and policies, the Ministry of Education and Training's policies, and the local Party committees and authorities' policies is the primary factor ensuring the school's success. In addition, the high level of unity and consensus within the Party Committee, the Board of Directors, and among the staff, faculty, students, and trainees has created a solid foundation for the school's stability. Furthermore, the tradition of self-reliance, resilience, perseverance, and self-improvement among the school's staff, lecturers, and students is a key internal strength that helps the school overcome all difficulties and challenges. Moreover, throughout its development, the school has always received timely and effective attention, investment, and guidance from central ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as from neighboring provinces, especially Nghe An province. The school has also proactively implemented many solutions to effectively unleash and exploit its potential and advantages, mobilizing maximum resources from both domestic and international sources to improve the quality of human resource training, promote scientific research, technology transfer, and international cooperation, contributing to the socio-economic development of Nghe An province in particular, the North Central region, and the whole country in general.

Reporter:To achieve the goal of building Vinh University into a center for training high-quality human resources in the North Central region and the whole country, aiming to become a key national university with some disciplines meeting international standards, what solutions does the university have, Professor?

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dinh Xuan Khoa:In 2011, Vinh University was honored to be included by the Prime Minister in the list of key national universities to be developed. The university has developed a strategic development plan for the period 2011-2020, outlining specific goals, tasks, and solutions for its development. Currently, selected by the Ministry of Education and Training as one of the seven national centers for training and developing teachers and educational management staff, the university is directing a review and restructuring of the institution; continuing to improve its organizational structure and innovate its management mechanisms; and simultaneously reforming the content and curriculum of training programs to meet societal needs, shifting teaching from primarily equipping students with knowledge to developing their comprehensive qualities and competencies. In addition, the university will continue to build unity, promote democracy, effectively carry out political and ideological education, and strengthen the development of a staff that is sufficient in quantity, strong in quality, and rational in structure. Continuously modernizing facilities and equipment for training, scientific research, and technology transfer; promoting international cooperation; and continuing to develop Vinh University to new heights, affirming its rightful position in the Vietnamese higher education system, making a significant contribution to the industrialization and modernization of the country.

Reporter:Thank you, Associate Professor, for this conversation!

Khanh Ly(perform)