Keynote Address by Prof. Dr. Nguyen Dinh Luan, HANU President,
at the 10th anniversary of MTESOL Program,
19th Sept, 2009
- Your Excellency, Mr. Allaster Cox, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam,
- Dr. Anne Jones, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Victoria University,
- Dr. Nguyen Xuan Vang, Director-General, VIED, Ministry of Education
and Training (MOET),
- Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hung, Deputy Director-General, Department of
International Cooperation, MOET,
- Distinguished guests, lecturers and students,
- Ladies and Gentlemen.
We are gathering here today to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the partnership and collaboration between Victoria University and Hanoi University. On behalf of Hanoi University, I would like to extend my warmest welcome to all of you to this significant event.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The idea of establishing ties between our two universities dates back as early as 1995. As a result of the exchange visits and discussions by leaders of the two universities, in early 1998, Hanoi University began to submit to the Ministry of Education and Training the Proposal for partnership and collaboration with Victoria University. We then got the approval from the Ministry in April 1998, allowing us to collaborate with VU in offering MTESOL Program in Vietnam. The first 2 classes commenced in 1999 consisted of only of 32 students (12 in Hanoi and 20 in Ho Chi Minh City).
Reviewing the past 10 years of partnership and collaboration, we are so proud of what we have achieved as well as of the joint attempts we have made to overcome hardships and difficulties. The number of students admitted into the program has been increasing year by year. We have graduated over 700 students by now, another 115 are attending current courses and 90 are commencing in this September and in October.
The 10 year- partnership with Victoria University has witnessed the successful development in academic collaboration between Vietnam and Australia in general and between our universities in particular. My working visit to Victoria University in May this year was to reconfirm the long-term commitment between us, thus exploiting our existing strengths and potential for cooperation in the years to come.
We are so proud that a large number of students being graduated from our Joint MTESOL Program over the last 10 years have now been actively involved in the development of our educational system. We are pleased to say that the MTESOL Programs with Victoria University can be seen as an exemplary model of international partnership and collaboration.
Today's event is in fact the evaluation of our partnership in the past 10 years and marks the beginning of a new stage of collaboration. As part of our commitment, Hanoi University and Victoria University are seriously considering the delivery of the Doctor of Education (Ed.D) Program in Vietnam as well as other programs such as Business Management, IT, Multi-media and Tourism & Hospitality.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
To acknowledge such great achievements during the past 10 years, I would like to express my sincere thanks to MOET and the Australian Embassy in Hanoi and the endeavours made by different generations of leaders, administrators and teaching staff of our two universities who have actively andtremendously contributed to the cause of this collaboration. Such experiences are not only valuable but also very practical for many other partnerships in the framework of our institutional collaboration.
On this occasion, may I extend my sincere thanks to H.E. Mr. Allaster Cox, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Vang, former HANU President, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hung, former Director of Studies of HANU, and especially Mr. Le Ngoc Tuong, who has been assigned to direct and manage the Cooperation project with VU in the last 10 years. My thanks also go to the teaching staff and staff of the two institutions who have been directly involved in this cooperation project.
On the occasion of this exciting Ceremony, I would like to heartily congratulate 60 students of Cohorts 4 and 5 who are at graduation celebration today, and I want to express my warmest welcome to the commencing students of Cohort 7 (2009-2010).
Finally, may I extend my sincere gratitude to all attending the magnificent event today, and I wish you good health and success.
Thank you very much.