From April 15 - 19, 2024, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Long - President of the University of Transport and Communications participated in the delegation of the Ministry of Education and Training led by Deputy Minister Hoang Minh Son to attend the Second Forum of Presidents of Russian - Vietnamese Universities, and to pay a working visit to universities of the Russian Federation in Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

Following the success of the First Forum held in Vietnam in 2019, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam jointly organized the Second Forum of Presidents of Vietnam - Russian Universities on April 18, 2024 at the Intellectual Center - Basic Library of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov (MGU, founded in 1755).

The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Konstantin Mogilevsky; Deputy Minister of Education and Training of Vietnam Hoang Minh Son; Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi; Chairman of the Association of Presidents of Russian Universities, President of MGU University - Academician Viktor Sadovnichy; along with representatives of about 40 Russian universities and 21 Vietnamese universities.

President of the University of Transport and Communications - Professor Nguyen Ngoc Long and President of MGU University - Academician Sadovnickyi Viktor Antonovich co-chaired the Forum.

Opening the event, delegates listened to the welcome speech sent to the forum by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Chernyshenko, as well as the Chairman of the Committee on Science, Education and Culture of the Federal Council (Senate) of Russia, Mrs. Lilia Gumerova.

In his opening speech, Deputy Minister Konstantin Mogilevsky reiterated President Ho Chi Minh's speech, "For the benefit of ten years, we must plant trees, for the benefit of a hundred years, we must cultivate the people," he affirmed that promoting the development of human resources in the cooperative relationship between the two countries is one of the tasks of the universities of both sides.

According to Deputy Minister Mogilevsky, currently the Russian Federation has about 3,000 Vietnamese students studying and researching, 70% of them are on scholarships between the two governments and every year the Russian Government grants 1,000 scholarships to Vietnamese students, therefore, it is necessary to consider updating the admission system so that more and more Vietnamese students can go to Russia to study and research.

Mr. Mogilevsky also affirmed that Vietnam is a traditional partner of the Russian Federation in the field of education and training, especially in training experts in new professions.

In his speech, Deputy Minister Hoang Minh Son said that cooperation and education and training in general and cooperation between the two sides' universities are still not adequate with the potential and desires of the two sides. To cooperate more effectively in the coming time, Deputy Minister Hoang Minh Son asked the Presidents to evaluate the results achieved in educational cooperation between the two countries, pointing out limitations, problems, causes and proposing measures to enhance and improve cooperation efficiency. Proposal to increase the number of joint training programs with Russian universities, with more emphasis on areas where the Russian Federation is strong and the Vietnamese side has training needs; Enhance student and faculty exchange through effective use of the program signed under the agreement; Promote scientific research cooperation between Russian and Vietnamese universities.

For his part, Ambassador Dang Minh Khoi emphasized that this year is the 30th anniversary of Vietnam and the Russian Federation signing the Treaty on the basic principles of friendly relations between the two countries and more specifically the 70th anniversary of the day when the first 100 "red seeds" were sent by President Ho Chi Minh to the Soviet Union for researching. In the coming period, Vietnam continues to identify the Russian Federation as an important partner in education and training cooperation, hoping to have more and more students come to study in the Russian Federation and agree with the views of the Deputy Minister Mogilevsky on improving enrollment, creating conditions for international students to study in the Russian Federation, as well as find jobs.

At the forum, 12 presentations from the two countries' higher education institutions were made to propose bilateral cooperation and the exchange and sharing of experiences in promoting cooperative relationships in the field of education and training. There were 30 cooperation documents between universities given at the forum, of which the University of Transport and Communications had 03 cooperation agreements on training, science and technology, and lecturer/student exchange with:

- Moscow State University (MGU).

- Russian University of Transport (RUT, commonly known as MIIT).

- Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Technical University (MADI)

During the business trip initerary in Russia, on April 16, the delegation from the University of Transport and Communications and the delegation from the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam visited and worked with Moscow Aviation Institute ( MAI).

Currently, MAI has more than 120 modern laboratories, many excellent research centers in the fields of mathematical modeling, synthetic materials, energy systems, space systems, and avionics and unmanned vehicles. In particular, MAI is the only university in the world with its own airport.

With the fact that Vietnam has been interested in aviation control technology, simulation technology, IT applications in disaster forecasting... and these are all strengths of MAI, the Deputy Minister wishes to promote cooperative relations between universities in Vietnam and MAI.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Long - President of the UTC had a private exchange with the President of MAI, expressing his joy when visiting and working at this institution; Propose some directions for future cooperation between the two sides related to the fields of control, materials, mechanical engineering, and information security. Before and after the meeting, the delegation visited the laboratory "Orbital station "Almaz"; laboratories "Aeronautical engineering design and certification", "Helicopter design"; “Aerocomposite”; Mathematical Model Competency Center and a meeting with Vietnamese international students studying in Russia.

On April 19, the delegation of the University of Transport and Communications paid a working visit to Saint Petersburg Electrical Technical University (LETI, founded in 1886) and Emperor Alexander I St. Petersburg State Transport University (PGUPS, founded in 1809) in Saint Petersburg. The delegation worked with the university's leaders to exchange directions for cooperation and visit laboratories.

Particularly at PGUPS, Deputy Minister Hoang Minh Son and the Ministry's delegation witnessed the signing ceremony of a cooperation agreement between the leaders of the two oldest transport universities in Vietnam and Russia.

Cooperation content includes:

1. Develop joint training and research programs.

2. Actively research in areas of mutual interest with appropriate funding sources.

3. Jointly publish research results.

4. Exchange lecturers, researchers, experts and students upon request.

5. Exchange information regarding important scientific achievements, conferences and symposiums, as well as agreements regarding the organization of anniversaries and memorable events.

6. Implement other cooperative activities of mutual interest.

It can be said that with the active participation and responsibility of co-chairing the 2nd Forum of Presidents of Vietnamese-Russian Universities, the University of Transport and Communications has partly contributed to the overall success of the working group in Russia. In cooperation with partner univesities, the University of Transport and Communications focuses on coordinating the training of PhD students under Project 89, building scientific research projects and technology transfer. Particularly with MADI, the two sides promote the development of the 3-university International Journal, focusing on cooperation in the field of Urban Transport Organization; For MIIT and PGUPS, they focus on cooperation in the field of urban railways and high-speed railways.

ICDS