Over recent years, the quality of Da Nang’s education has enhanced significantly, which has been partly attributed to the fruitful bilateral cooperation with prestigious Japanese universities and businesses.

Japanese youths teaching Vietnamese children how to do calligraphy

The University of Da Nang (UDN) has entered into cooperation agreements with such Japanese higher education institions as the Yokohama National University, the Kansai University of International Studies, and the universities of Kyoto, Kitakyushu and Obirin.

Every year, dozens of qualified Da Nang univerisity students attended tertiary programmes in Japan.

In particular, the Yokohama National University has opened its representative office at the headquarters of the UDN with the aim of promoting bilateral academic research exchanges amongst lecturers and students from the 2 sides, and facilitating the implementation of bilateral projects. Many young lecturers from the Da Nang University of Science and Technology, a UDN member school, have been selected to take postgraduate courses at this Japanese university.

Alongside, the UDN has actively become involved in cooperating with such Japanese companies and organisations as Sun Frontier Group, JFE Steel Corporation, Japan Business Association in Viet Nam and Jesco Asia JSC, hereby facilitating UDN graduates to access job opportunities in Japan.

Every year, hundreds of scholarships from JFE, JBAV & KIRANDEN, Jesco Asia and other Japanese businesses are granted to many UDN students.

Professor Tran Van Nam, the former Director of the UDN cum Chairman of the Viet Nam-Japan Friendship Association, affirmed, “The cooperation between the 2 countries is growing significantly. Taking the advantage of this happy sign, the UDN has paid heed to promoting the development of high quality human resources meeting recruitment requirements set by the Japanese market. In addition, positive results have been gained from the bilateral cooperation in offering educational and training programmes at kindergarten, primary, secondary, graduate and postgraduate levels”. 

Apart from bilateral cooperation at tertiary level, according to the municipal Department of Education and Training, there are 3 junior and 3 senior high schools in the city offering Japanese language classes to their pupils. The Japanese language has also been taught at some local primary schools. 

Meanwhile, the city is now home to 23 Japanese language training centres, of which 3 are invested by Japanese educational organisations. Operating licences have been granted to 55 companies offering consultancy services to those who want to study abroad, 28 of which specialise in enrolment activities and organising academic activities in Japan.

The Da Nang-based Selfwing Vietnam Co Ltd, one of the most popular companies active in education start-ups, has implemented many effective applications in education. Since 2016, the company has collaborated with many schools across the city to provide scientific courses for pupils at pre-school, primary and secondary levels, and university students.

These courses aim at inspiring the trainees to nurture a passion for scientific research, awareness of environmental protection, and the future use of clean energy.

Last year, local pupils attended an experimental course of scientific research based on the natural mechanism with contents to reproduce the light of fireflies in the Palm of the Hand, the principle of wind power generating and method of generating electric power from natural energy sources.

The programme was jointly organised by educational institution Leave a Nest-Japan, Selfwing Vietnam, and junior high schools in Da Nang.

Through scientific research experience sessions, the participants explored the principle of generating wind power, learnt how generate power from natural energy sources, had an insight into the light of fireflies, and gene and reproduced the light if fireflies in the Palm of the Hand.

Ms Tran Song Binh Duong, the Director of SelfWing Vietnam, cum Vice President of the municipal Viet Nam-Japan Friendship Association, said through the organisation of workshops, her company have introduced the knowledge of Japanese early childhood education methods, especially helping children promote their self-reliance, discipline, politeness, innovative thinking for the sake of their comprehensive development. 

Also, advanced Japanese educational programmes provide Vietnamese teachers with necessary knowledge about intellectual, physical and moral education methods, and enable them to enhance their professional skills.