On the morning of June 4, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City and East China Normal University (ECNU) held a signing ceremony for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) within the framework of activities celebrating the 60th anniversary of international student education at ECNU.
The ceremony was attended by Prof. Ma Xugang, President of East China Normal University, along with representatives of leaders from various institutes, offices, and functional departments of the university. On behalf of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, the delegation was led by Dr. Le Hoang Dung, Vice President of the University. Also in attendance were leaders of the International Relations and Research Management Office, Student Affairs Office, Academic Affairs Office, Faculty of Chinese Linguistics and Literature, and Faculty of Oriental Studies.
East China Normal University is one of the leading prestigious higher education institutions in China, holding a prominent position both regionally and globally. According to the QS World University Rankings 2026, the university ranks 433rd globally; while the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 places the university in the 251–300 group globally and tied for 19th in China.
In particular, East China Normal University has outstanding strengths in the field of international Chinese education, training of international Chinese language teachers, and promoting Chinese language and culture globally. It is also one of the key institutions for training international Chinese language teachers and maintains a broad cooperation network with numerous Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms abroad.
During the meeting, Dr. Le Hoang Dung provided an overview of the formation and development of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, highlighted notable achievements in training, scientific research, and international cooperation, and expressed a desire to expand cooperative relations with top Chinese universities to enhance the quality of education and research in the context of international integration.
Representing the Faculty of Oriental Studies, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Thi Hong Xuan provided an overview of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, its current undergraduate majors and specializations, as well as its development orientation towards interdisciplinarity and internationalization. In addition to majors in Japanese Studies, Indian Studies, Arabic Studies, Australian Studies, Southeast Asian Studies (Indonesian Studies, Thai Studies), and Chinese Studies at the undergraduate level, the Faculty also offers a Master's degree program in Asian Studies. This program attracts many students to choose research topics related to Chinese Studies, Vietnam-China relations, culture, education, and contemporary development issues in China.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Thi Hong Xuan also discussed the potential for cooperation between the Faculty of Oriental Studies and East China Normal University in areas such as Chinese Studies research, academic exchange, organizing international conferences, and supporting graduate students and PhD candidates in participating in academic activities, thereby contributing to strengthening knowledge exchange and cultural understanding between Vietnam and China.
It is known that the working program and the signing of this cooperation agreement were initiated and connected through academic cooperation activities of the Faculty of Chinese Linguistics and Literature. On that basis, the University expanded the scope of discussion with the participation of multiple units, including the Faculty of Oriental Studies, to promote training, scientific research, and academic exchange between the two universities.
At the ceremony, both sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation with key objectives, including: organizing study and working visits for staff, employees, and students; implementing faculty and student exchange programs for teaching, learning, or short-term research; co-organizing international conferences and seminars; coordinating participation in research activities; and promoting other mutually beneficial cooperation based on the needs and strengths of each party.
Based on the contents established in the Memorandum of Understanding, the leaders of both universities agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in fields consistent with their general development goals. Key areas of cooperation include promoting Chinese language teaching and learning; building interdisciplinary Chinese language training programs offering degrees and certificates; and enhancing student exchange to meet the needs for language and cultural exploration of students from both countries.
Additionally, both sides aim to expand faculty exchanges, research collaboration, organize joint academic activities, and develop new cooperative initiatives in the fields of social sciences and humanities. These areas are consistent with the orientation of higher education internationalization while leveraging the training, research, and academic connection strengths of each institution.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City and East China Normal University opens up many practical opportunities for cooperation in training, research, and academic exchange. The event also contributes to promoting mutual understanding between the lecturers and students of both universities, thereby deepening educational, scientific, and cultural cooperative relations between higher education institutions of Vietnam and China in the new era.
