On the morning of September 5, amid the nationwide excitement surrounding the start of the new academic year, International School – Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU-IS) – solemnly held its Opening Ceremony for the 2026–2027 academic year, welcoming the 25th cohort of freshmen to officially join the “VNU-IS family.” The ceremony took place in a formal yet festive atmosphere and was connected to the nationwide Opening Ceremony organized and broadcast by the Ministry of Education and Training.
The solemn atmosphere at the VNU-IS Opening Ceremony for the 2026–2027 academic year.
Addressing the ceremony, Dr. Phung Danh Thang, VNU-IS Vice Rector, reviewed the School’s 24-year journey of establishment and development. From its origins as the Vietnam–Russia International Faculty, through various stages of transformation, the institution became VNU International School in 2021 and incorporated the Institut Francophone International (IFI) in 2025. Today, VNU-IS has developed into a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment for education, research and international cooperation, serving more than 7,000 learners across nearly 30 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs. In terms of the total number of international publications, the School has consistently ranked among the top three units across VNU.
Dr. Phung Danh Thang, VNU-IS Vice Rector, delivering his speech at the ceremony.
Dr. Phung Danh Thang highlighted the School’s significant progress in educational quality. Just days before the Opening Ceremony, on August 23, VNU-IS conferred degrees on 1,160 new graduates and master’s graduates. Notably, this year marked the first time that the School saw graduating cohorts from emerging fields such as Biomedical Engineering Technology, Automation and Informatics, Applied Information Technology, FinTech and Digital Business, Industrial Systems Engineering and Logistics. These achievements reflect VNU-IS’s “bridge” philosophy of developing interdisciplinary academic programs connected to strategic and technology-intensive fields aligned with the country’s development priorities.
Distinguished guests, faculty, and new students in attendance.
A major highlight of this year’s ceremony was the official welcome of the first cohort of the Talented Engineer Program in Automation and Informatics. Delivered entirely in English, the program is designed for students with outstanding abilities in mathematics, computer science and engineering thinking. It is among a select number of programs nationwide chosen to contribute to the development of high-caliber talent for the country.
According to Dr. Phung Danh Thang, the launch of the program signals a strategic shift in the School’s development: from prioritizing scale to emphasizing quality; from developing a highly qualified workforce to nurturing exceptional talent; and from single-discipline programs to an interdisciplinary academic environment centered on technology, with foreign languages as a tool and practical application as the ultimate goal. This approach aims to foster well-rounded individuals through the development of “Body – Mind – Intellect.”
🌟 5 Key Development Priorities for VNU-IS
- Elite Quality: Making quality and elite education the central focus.
- Research & Innovation: Placing scientific research and innovation at the heart so students engage from an early stage.
- Internationalization: Targeting 2,000 international students to study and research by 2030.
- Digital Transformation: Pursuing substantive digital transformation and proactively entering the AI era.
- Hoa Lac Ecosystem: Developing a new academic ecosystem in Hoa Lac as a knowledge and high-tech city.
Dr. Dinh Thai Kim sharing insights into VNU-IS’s distinctive educational identity.
Representing the School’s faculty, Dr. Dinh Thai Kim shared insights into the distinctive identity of VNU-IS: an international environment in which foreign languages are not merely academic subjects but tools for accessing knowledge and building global connections; a multicultural setting that exposes students to diverse perspectives and ways of thinking; and, in particular, a strong tradition of interdisciplinary education that enables learners to stay ahead of emerging careers at the intersection of technology, business, healthcare and education.
Dr. Dinh Thai Kim encouraged students not to study merely to pass examinations, but to have the confidence to ask questions, engage in research, take on real-world projects, and give themselves permission to experiment, make mistakes and grow through experience.
“We do not simply want to be the people standing at the podium. We want to be your companions, your supporters, and sometimes the people who challenge you to go beyond what you once thought you were capable of achieving.”
— Dr. Dinh Thai Kim, Faculty Representative
Recognition of Nguyen Huu Phat, Top Entrance Student of the 25th cohort.
One of the most memorable moments of the ceremony was the recognition of the Top Entrance Student of the 25th cohort, Nguyen Huu Phat, a student majoring in Automation and Informatics. Speaking on behalf of the freshmen, Nguyen Huu Phat shared a moving story about his passion for engineering, inspired by his grandfather and father, both of whom have been closely involved in mechanical design.
From the drawings and machines he encountered as a child, Phat gradually developed a deep interest in engineering. Yet, in a new era defined by robotics and artificial intelligence, the new top entrant hopes to carry forward his family’s engineering tradition through the knowledge and technologies of his own generation.
“This is only the result of the journey behind us, not the final destination. From today onward, all of us will be standing together at a new starting line.”
— Nguyen Huu Phat, Top Entrance Student (25th Cohort)
Commemorative photo of VNU-IS faculty and students marking the start of the 2026–2027 academic year.
The Opening Ceremony for the 2026–2027 academic year marked more than the beginning of a new academic year; it also signaled the start of a new strategic development phase for VNU International School. With the ambition of becoming an International University and a key international hub within VNU, as it moves toward its 25th anniversary, VNU-IS is entering a new chapter under the spirit of “Unity – Responsibility – Innovation – Breakthrough,” continuing to pursue its mission of “Study and Create with the World.”
