VinUni Partners with National University of Singapore on Innovation

DNHN - Vin University and the National University of Singapore (NUS) – ranked 8th worldwide – have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote innovation, particularly in the areas of smart cities and novel solutions for public health.

The signing ceremony took place on 25 January 2024, witnessed by Singapore’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Jaya Ratnam; NUS Deputy President and Provost, Professor Aaron Thean; Dr Le Mai Lan – Vingroup Vice Chairwoman, VinUni University Board of Trustees Chairwoman; academic leaders from both sides and representatives from the Singapore Business Association in Vietnam (Singcham) and the NUS Alumni Association in Vietnam.

The MOU aims to identify and implement innovative initiatives in education and research to develop leaders and contribute to positive impact in both countries and the region. NUS and VinUni will collaborate in the following areas: Expanding diverse learning opportunities for talented students through the design of new pathways and programmes; Exchanging interdisciplinary research, exploring technology commercialisation opportunities; Co-organising scientific conferences, workshops, and leadership development programmes in areas of mutual interest and emerging disruptions.

In the area of education, immediately after signing the MOU, the two sides discussed a pilot integrated bachelor’s-master’s-doctorate programme model in eight years for talented students. The programme will be co-taught by faculty from both sides, conducted in both countries and jointly designed and awarded by the two universities. Notably, with the aim of interdisciplinary research training, the programme is not only for students in engineering and technology but also for students in other fields such as social sciences and business administration.

In the area of research, the two sides have worked with the leaders of Khanh Hoa province and Nha Trang city and discussed the establishment of joint research groups, closely coordinating between the university and local authorities in the strategic project on “Green Transformation, Green Growth” of the city.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Singapore’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Jaya Ratnam, said: “The world has seen many changes in the past year. But challenges and difficulties also present opportunities. With VinUni’s commitment to becoming a university of excellence, I believe that the MOU with NUS will contribute greatly to promoting that goal.”

Representing NUS, Professor Aaron Thean – Deputy President and Provost shared: “We are very impressed with VinUni’s development and vision. Southeast Asia has great potential for further development, and more than ever, we need a community of change-makers. NUS highly values the partnership with VinUni, as it is a partnership that is tied to concrete actions, especially in projects related to smart cities and novel solutions for public health.”

VinUni President Professor David Bangsberg also affirmed: “NUS and VinUni share the same view on the aspiration for innovation, continuous progress, and dissatisfaction with past achievements. The two sides are particularly interested in co-designing pioneering programmes to accelerate leadership development, and in establishing joint research groups in areas that are important for the development path of the Southeast Asian region.”

The National University of Singapore is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary university with excellent teaching and research quality. In 2024, NUS was ranked 8th among the world’s leading universities and 1st in Asia according to the QS World University Ranking. Recently, the university has implemented major reforms in interdisciplinary liberal arts education as well as vigorously carried out interdisciplinary research that is groundbreaking in terms of innovation.

VinUni is a private, not-for-profit university founded by Vingroup. The university is particularly interested in developing future leaders and innovation in teaching and research. As an elite university, VinUni is particularly active in collaborating with excellent universities around the world to jointly implement pilot models for green transformation and green growth to improve the quality of life, work, and tourism in key localities of Vietnam.

Prior to the signing with NUS, in late December 2023, VinUni announced the signing of a comprehensive cooperation agreement with Saïd Business School, University of Oxford; and also signed with the Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation Application, Ministry of Science and Technology to strengthen cooperation in the areas of research, human resource quality improvement, and implementation of activities to promote innovation.

In addition to talent training, one of VinUni’s focuses is research to promote innovation as a driving force for sustainable economic development, increasing labour productivity and the competitiveness of businesses, economic sectors, and the nation.

NQ