At 89, his eyes remain sharp enough to read dense text on an 11-inch screen, and his hands type rapidly. He is currently drafting the third volume of his research on “Co-construction learning theory” while finalizing the historical book “From Ngo Sy Lien to Pham Huy Thong: Bringing Hung Vuong into History.”

He is also researching the application of cold plasma in cancer treatment as part of a collaborative project with a prestigious South Korean tech university. In August 2026, he plans to travel to South Korea to present his research and meet leading experts in the field. 

“At nearly 90, I am in a race against time. I try to write down everything I know because my health could decline tomorrow,” Dung said.

Happily working 10-12 hours daily

Prof. Dung was awarded his professorship at Tottori University (Japan). After returning to Vietnam, he worked at the National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology, and Entomology, taught at Hanoi Medical University, and lectured in Parapsychology at Chulalongkorn University (Thailand). After retiring, he served as Deputy Director of the Health Strategy and Policy Institute (1998-2004). Today, he continues to teach and supervise PhD students.

At the beginning of 2026, Dung attracted attention on social media through a video conversation with a young Chinese man. The image of the silver-haired elderly man speaking fluent English and introducing himself as having taught at a prestigious university in Thailand attracted millions of views.

When asked about advice for young people, he did not mention personal achievements but emphasized cultural foundations: “Look toward the future but do not separate from tradition.”

Mentioning this video, Dung laughed and said he was surprised that the conversation made many young people search for information about him.

“I do not think I am someone with extraordinary inspirational power. I only hope every young person will be proud of their roots, proud of their nation’s history instead of feeling inferior or afraid of being left behind,” the professor shared.

He also emphasized the need to clearly distinguish between confidence and arrogance: “Do not study just to prove you are intellectual or have many degrees. Learning must go together with practice so that knowledge brings practical value.”

Prof. Dung lives with his wife, Prof. Dr. Ngo Thi Tam (born in 1936), in the old house left by his parents on Hang Bac Street.

Previously, the house was very spacious, but currently the family only lives on the second floor with a living room, a bedroom-working room and a kitchen; the third floor is the worship area. Their two children are both professors and have their own families.

The family’s small living room is filled with objects that are decades old, even hundreds of years old, attached to Dung since childhood. Around him are wooden shelves covered with Vietnamese, English and French books and documents.

Besides the working corner in his private room, the professor also often works in the living room on a compact folding table placed right at the dining table, where his wife usually sits watching television.

Every day, he wakes up at 5am-5:30am, does light exercise, then makes tea and prepares a simple breakfast, usually bread and eggs. Tam is elderly and physically weak, so on days when he does not go teaching, Dung rides a motorbike to the market himself.

After that, the professor starts working. If he does not go for guest lectures, he researches and writes books for 10-12 hours per day.

“I often work until 11pm-midnight, sometimes staying up later to discuss with international researchers because of time zone differences. Just a few hours of discussion can help me update research information quickly instead of waiting for them to publish books. By the time a book is completed, that knowledge has already become outdated,” Dung explained.

“Making friends” with AI

Several years ago, Dung gained another “special friend” called ChatGPT from OpenAI. Every day, he exchanges and debates in English with the chatbot.

From the end of 2024 to the end of 2025, with AI support, he completed four books: Learning Better, Teaching Better, Managing Education Better and Teaching Medicine Better.

In the first five months of 2026, he completed two volumes of the Co-construction Learning Theory book series. Each volume is nearly 1,000 pages. Volume 3 is expected to be completed next month.

“Previously, without AI, I would need 20 years to write that many books. Today, AI with its ability to synthesize huge amounts of data pushes me forward about 10 years faster,” Dung said.

Ha Nguyen