HUST Celebrates 25 Years of PFIEV

On November 15, the 25th Anniversary of the Vietnam-France Excellent Engineer Training Program (PFIEV) was hosted at Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST), the coordinating institution for the PFIEV consortium in Vietnam. The event marked a milestone of the Protocol signed on November 12, 1997, by the governments of France and Vietnam.

Attendees included a delegation from the French Embassy in Vietnam, led by Ambassador Olivier Brochet; Mr. Thibaut Skrzypek, spokesperson for the PFIEV-France consortium; Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Minh, Deputy Director General of the International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Education and Training; representatives from partner universities in France and Vietnam, as well as faculty, industry leaders, alumni, and students of the PFIEV program.  
 

PFIEV’s journey from 1983 to today

French Ambassador Olivier Brochet highlighted PFIEV as a cornerstone of France-Vietnam cooperation. Initiated in 1983 with the doctoral training program by the Grenoble Institute of Technology, PFIEV was formalized through a 1997 intergovernmental agreement and launched in 1999 in Da Nang.

The program, implemented at four Vietnamese universities, is the only engineering program in Asia jointly accredited by France’s CTI and HCERES, reflecting its rigorous academic standards. French government support has been instrumental in PFIEV’s success, showcasing its role as a symbol of bilateral collaboration in science and education.
 

PFIEV through insiders' eyes

At the ceremony, educators, alumni, now serving as lecturers and scientists, shared their experiences with PFIEV.
 

Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Canh Luong, former Party Secretary and Vice President of Academic Affairs at HUST, emphasized PFIEV’s significant and effective contributions to the development of Vietnam’s education system. His insights reflected the program's lasting influence on both individual careers and national academic progress:

1. First internationally accredited program in Vietnam.  
2. Introduced quality assurance standards via CTI and HCERES.  
3. Pioneered integrated bachelor's and master's degrees in Vietnam.  
4. Facilitated credit recognition between Vietnam and other countries.  
5. Advanced internationalization through faculty and student exchanges and collaborations with French professors.  

 

Associate Professor Le Minh Thuy, a lecturer at HUST, reflected on PFIEV’s journey, remarked: “Together, we have shaped a legacy of educational innovation, international collaboration, and created an impact not only within university campuses or research fields but also in larger communities beyond.” She highlighted the program’s students and alumni as its core and future drivers of growth.

Dr. Pham Huy Hieu, a PFIEV alumnus, lecturer, Director of the Elab Startup Center at VinUni and Chair of the Research Committee for VNEI, proudly stated: “PFIEV is not just an educational program; it is also a place to nurture and develop generations of talented engineers, where knowledge is cultivated, character is strengthened, and students are driven to have a global vision.”
 

Moving forward together to the next phase

Assoc. Prof. Huynh Quyet Thang, President of HUST, noted that over 25 years, PFIEV has trained over 9,000 engineers, many of whom hold key roles in Vietnam and abroad, affirming the program’s excellence. He added, “In the next phase, we will expand cooperation in applied research, technology development, and knowledge transfer, continuing to strengthen academic exchanges and maximize the potential of students and faculty from both countries.”
 

 

On the same morning, the 2024 PFIEV National Advisory Council meeting was held at HUST. With an agreement on rotating leadership, the university will continue to coordinate the consortium's activities for the 2025-2026 term.