VietNamNet Bridge - While most scientists take pride in their research and international articles, Prof Dr Duong Nguyen Vu is just as proud of his students’ achievements.


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Prof Dr Duong Nguyen Vu



Vu first came back to Vietnam in 1994 when he was working for the US-based Schlumberger, an oil & gas group. On the flight from Singapore to HCMC, he burst into tears and decided to return to Vietnam to contribute to its development.

In 1998, when he heard that the International Francophone Institute (IFI) needed a lecturer on AI and computer vision, Vu contacted IFI and expressed his willingness to take on this task. From that moment, he began his journey with Vietnam’s science and education.

Though Vu spends most time of his life working overseas, he has made great contributions to Vietnam’s education. Vu created two talent training models.

While most scientists take pride in their research and international articles, Prof Dr Duong Nguyen Vu is just as proud of his students’ achievements.

In 2005, Vu was assigned the task of compiling an advanced program in computer science (ACPS), a product of cooperation between HCMC University of Natural Sciences and Portland State University. 

This was one of 10 programs implemented by the Ministry of Education and Tea ning (MOET) in its effort of selectively applying advanced programs of foreign universities in Vietnam.

Vu, who understood Vietnamese students’ passive way of learning, thought that if he applied the original curriculum in its entirety, it would be ineffective in Vietnam’s conditions. So, he suggested many changes to the curriculum.

He proposed a training program under which students must be trained in soft skills, including observation skills and abstract thinking, critical thinking with evidence, thinking about strategy, mentoring, innovative thinking and creative entrepreneurship.

In 2005-2006, not many educators thought of teaching innovative thinking and business spirit to students.

At that time, Vu was a scientific director for Eurocontrol, a lecturer at EPHE and Telecom-ParisTech, but he still managed to arrange time to come to Vietnam once a month to gives lectures under the APCS program. And he began thinking of returning to work in Vietnam.

In 2010, Vu was invited to lead the John von Neumann Institute (JVN) which aims to connect Vietnamese intellectual power in Vietnam and overseas, creating a favorable research environment to attract overseas Vietnamese to contribute to their homeland. Vu returned in 2012.

Vu’s return triggered a ‘comeback wave’ among overseas Vietnamese intellectuals, including Dr Vu Ha Van, a math lecturer at Yale University, Dr Pham Xuan Huyen of Paris 7 University, and Ho Tu Bao of the Japan Science & Technology Institute.


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