Through international cooperation programmes, students can gain more experience, heading towards becoming global citizens. This is also an opportunity to promote Da Nang culture to international friends as well as implement many programmes and projects that contribute to developing the city’s culture, education and social security.

A group of students from Norway visit the Museum of Da Nang. Photo: NGOC HA

Impressed with Da Nang culture

Recently, 30 students from the Singapore Polytechnic came to Da Nang to join exchanges with peers from the University of Science and Technology, a member school of the University of Da Nang-UD, under a cooperation project between the two units.

During the 12-day study programme, the students spent two days learning about the Non Nuoc stone carving village in Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District, and the traditional craft village of making fish sauce and processing seafood in Man Thai Ward, Son Tra District.

This was the first time Keagan, a student from the Singapore Polytechnic, had come to a coastal craft village. Villagers enthusiastically participated in the fish processing process in making fish sauce, and tasted the fish sauce of this village.

“I was very impressed with the craft village. I learned more about the cultural diversity of different countries and of course this was also an interesting topic for me to tell my friends and family after the trip,” Keagan said.

The VN-UK Institute for Research and Executive Education, a member school of UD, in collaboration with the Norwegian organization Kulturstudier (Culture Studies) organised a short-term course for 6 students and 32 others from Northern Europe. During 10 weeks, students learned about the culture and economic development in Da Nang and Hoi An City in neighbouring Quang Nam Province.

After the study trip to the Museum of Da Nang, the Bho Hoong community-based tourism village in Quang Nam Province and Hoi An and other attractions, many students expressed their excitement when exploring the Quang land with rich culture and history.

Elena, a student from Norway, expressed: “At the Museum of Da Nang, we witnessed the heroic fighting process of the Quang Nam - Da Nang people to protect their homeland. I hope that more international friends will come to Da Nang to have these interesting experiences”.

Strengthening cooperation

Ph.D Nguyen Hoang Trung Hieu, the Deputy Head of the Department of Scientific Research and International Cooperation at the University of Science and Technology, a member school of UD said that the school has actively boost student exchanges. Specifically, the Learning Express (LEX) project on student exchanges between of the University of Science and Technology and the Singapore Polytechnic (SP) has been implemented for 7 seasons.

This is a modern and reliable educational model, providing students with both knowledge and a practical environment to improve their capacity and promote a sense of readiness to contribute to the local and global community.

“We are always ready to open up international educational opportunities, raise the level of students in Viet Nam, expand understanding of the outside world as well as promote the image of the land and people of Viet Nam”, Ph.D Nguyen Hoang Trung Hieu said.

Sharing the same view, Ph.D Huynh Ngoc Mai Kha, the Vice Rector of the University of Foreign Language Studies, a member school of UD said that in the context of the international integration trend, the “global citizen” mindset needs to be aroused and spread with the spirit of being proactive right now. Student exchange programmes will contribute to inspiring the formation of this growing mindset.

From the bridge of student exchange, many cooperation programmes and solutions have been implemented to contribute to the educational, cultural and social environment of the city.

In 2024, students of the Faculty of Architecture of the Da Nang University of Science and Technology and the Faculty of Construction Engineering, the University of Technology and Education (UD) are accompanying Japanese research experts on a survey of communal houses in Phong Nam Village, Hoa Chau Commune, Hoa Vang District.

The ideas proposed and analyzed by Japanese professors helps students find ways to preserve and promote the value of Phong Nam ancient village based on existing knowledge of architecture and construction.

Not only universities, over the years, the Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs has promoted internship exchange programmes with foreign countries.

In 2017, the Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs and the Nagasaki University in Japan signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation, the main content of which was international student exchange.

Since 2022, the Nagasaki University has organised short-term training courses on nutrition and school health for managers and caterers at kindergartens and primary schools in the city.

At a recent meeting with the city leaders, Ms. Satomi Iwashige, the Vice Rector in charge of strategy and international relations of Nagasaki University, said that, for the rest of 2024, this establishment will continue to send students to intern at the Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs and Japanese enterprises currently operating in the city.

At the same time, the school is calling on the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to sponsor a project on training courses on nutrition and school health for the city in a long-term and sustainable manner.

Reporting by NGOC HA - Translating by A.THU