A Vietnam University will be established in Laos, with priority given to training in natural sciences, education, information technology and Vietnam studies.

The plan was announced during the state visit of Party General Secretary To Lam to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic on February 5.

On the same day, Vietnam’s Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son and Laos’ Minister of Education and Sports Thongsalith Mangnomek exchanged two important cooperation documents in the field of education.

One of the documents confirmed that Vietnam and Laos will cooperate to establish a Vietnam University in Laos.

The university will be founded and operate in accordance with Lao law and relevant international treaties.

Its training programs will be developed based on Laos’ practical needs.

Priority fields include natural sciences, education science and teacher training, business and management, technology and engineering, computer science and information technology, Vietnam studies, Lao studies and other relevant disciplines.

The two ministries agreed to coordinate closely in developing the project for the university’s establishment.

This cooperation will cover infrastructure, training programs, teaching staff, organizational structure, governance mechanisms and a long-term development roadmap.

A joint working group will also be set up to implement the agreed cooperation contents.

In addition, Vietnam handed over 27,500 Vietnamese-language textbooks from grades 1 to 12 to the Lao Ministry of Education and Sports.

Vietnam also delivered 1,000 copies of a handbook integrating content on the history of the special relationship between the two countries.

The two ministers further discussed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on teaching the Lao language in Vietnam.

They also agreed on strengthening the teaching of Vietnamese in Laos and sending Lao students to study at Vietnam’s boarding high schools.

This memorandum is expected to be signed in the first quarter of 2026.

In 2026, Vietnam is expected to pilot Lao language teaching at nine general education schools in nine provinces bordering Laos.

At present, Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training has revised relevant legal documents to allow boarding schools to admit Lao students.

Thuy Nga