Irish President Michael Daniel Higgins was speaking in front of VNU lecturers and students

Irish President Michael Daniel Higgins delivered the remarks at an exchange with lecturers and students of the Vietnam National University (VNU) in Hanoi on November 8 as part of his ongoing State-level visit to Vietnam from November 5-14.

President Higgins highlighted the two countries’ efforts to cope with challenges and become middle-income nations.

Both countries are looking towards a future full of desires, ambitions and new development initiatives, he said.

The President also spoke highly of the cooperation between Vietnamese and Irish universities and research institutes, and encouraged Vietnamese students to actively acquire knowledge and integrate into the world.

VNU Director Nguyen Kim Son said the collaboration in education and vocational training between Vietnam and Ireland has been expanded in recent years thanks to the support of the Irish Embassy in Vietnam, Enterprise Ireland, and Irish Aid under the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The cooperation with top Irish universities has opened up numerous opportunities for students and young lecturers to exchange with each other to improve their qualifications, while facilitating the building of new training programmes in Vietnam, he added.

As a national leading university, the VNU has carried out a number of cooperative projects with the Irish Embassy in Vietnam such as a training programme for young lecturers, the Vietnam Ireland Bilateral Education Exchange (VIBE), and the annual education report, Son noted.

The VNU Director hoped that the Irish President’s ideas will help Vietnam improve its sustainable development model and strategy in the future.

A day earlier, the VNU and the Cork University of Ireland signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement, under the witness of Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang and his Irish counterpart Michael Daniel Higgins.-VNA