On December 10, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City (USSH-VNUHCM) welcomed a delegation from École de Psychologues Praticiens (EPP) of France and formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The meeting marked a new milestone in cooperation between the two institutions in teaching, training, academic exchange, research, and scientific activities.
Attending the event on behalf of EPP were Prof. Alain Blanchet, Emeritus Professor and Chair of the Board of Directors; Prof. Dr. Christian Heslon, President; Mr. Matthieu Fouche, External Relations Officer; Ms. Nguyen Anh Tuyet, EPP Representative in Vietnam; and Mr. Timothée Landa, doctoral researcher.
Representing USSH-VNUHCM were Dr. Phan Thanh Dinh, Vice President, along with representatives from the Office of External Relations and Research Affairs, the Office of Academic Affairs, and the Faculty of Psychology.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr. Phan Thanh Dinh affirmed the University’s commitment to promoting scholar and student exchanges as well as collaborative scientific research initiatives. “Psychology is a complex discipline. For this reason, the university highly values cooperation with experienced institutions such as École de Psychologues Praticiens. I hope that the agreements reached today will soon be implemented in practice, thereby expanding learning and research opportunities for our students,” he said.
Dr. Phan Thanh Dinh expressed his expectation that this partnership will provide a foundation for research addressing psychological challenges in contemporary society
Representing EPP, Prof. Alain Blanchet expressed his enthusiasm for collaborating with USSH-VNUHCM in organizing joint research activities. He highlighted potential cooperation in areas such as family psychology, organizational psychology, and clinical psychology for faculty members and students from both institutions. He also emphasized the long-standing tradition of EPP, which has more than 70 years of development.
Prof. Alain Blanchet noted the strong potential and creative academic environment at the USSH VNUHCM
Reflecting on EPP’s journey in Vietnam, Dr. Le Thi Mai Lien, Dean of the Faculty of Psychology at USSH VNUHCM, expressed appreciation for the institution’s significant contributions during the early stages of clinical psychology training for practitioners in Vietnam. She acknowledged EPP’s academic expertise and highlighted ongoing collaboration between the two institutions, including the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) program, teaching in the Master’s program in Clinical Psychology, and the development of an internationally oriented Bachelor’s program in Psychology. These initiatives, she noted, contribute to advancing internationalization and improving the quality of academic training in line with the university’s development strategy.
Dr. Le Thi Mai Lien expressed her hope for deeper collaboration in practical training, supervision, and professional capacity building for clinical psychology practitioners
Prof. Dr. Christian Heslon noted that EPP began its educational mission in Vietnam in 1997 with a team of lecturers comprising experienced experts, researchers, and practitioners.
Prof. Dr. Christian Heslon expressed his expectation that this partnership will generate practical value for teaching activities at both institutions
The Memorandum of Understanding between USSH-VNUHCM and EPP outlines several key areas of cooperation. These include mutual visits between faculty members and students, academic exchanges through Collaborative Online International Learning programs, and joint organization of international initiatives. In the field of research, both sides also expressed interest in developing potential research directions such as cross-cultural studies on mental health, leadership and organizational resilience, and the standardization and adaptation of psychological assessment scales and tests.
Representatives of both institutions signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
Prior to this event, EPP had visited and held discussions with the Faculty of Psychology at USSH-VNUHCM, accompanied by Dr. Anne Plantade Gipch, Director of Training and Student Life at EPP. The latest signing ceremony marks a new step forward in the partnership between the two institutions and reflects their shared commitment to advancing joint training and research programs, with the goal of building a sustainable collaboration that delivers meaningful benefits to the academic community.
Founded in 1951, École de Psychologues Praticiens is a private higher education institution under the Institut Catholique de Paris, with more than 70 years of development. The school is known for its specialized training programs that closely integrate theory with practice through diverse internship opportunities at hospitals, social organizations, schools, and businesses.
NHƯ Ý - QUỲNH NHƯ
Translation by THÁI TƯỜNG
