HUST students: Using English as a “passport” to the world

A student of Class ICT 02-K70, majoring in Global ICT (IT-E7) at the School of Information and Communications Technology; an IELTS 7.5 achiever; and a representative of Vietnamese youth who delivered a speech at the 12th ASEAN-China Young Leaders Exchange Festival — these are just a few of the highlights of Bùi Huy Hoàng, a student at Hà Nội University of Science and Technology who is about to enter his Second year. Hoàng’s journey is a vivid testament to the spirit of innovation and global integration, as well as the determination of HUST students to make their mark from their very First year at university.

The Journey of “Growing Beyond” as an ICT Student

After a year of studying at Hà Nội University of Science and Technology, Bùi Huy Hoàng, a former Mathematics-specialized student at Nguyễn Huệ High School for the Gifted Students, has undergone remarkable changes. Hoàng recalls that when he first entered university, he was still unfamiliar with the new environment and somewhat inexperienced, with only a very basic foundation in Information and Communications Technology and little confidence in his own abilities. Yet after just one academic year, the freshman of Global ICT had made significant progress in programming and algorithmic thinking through courses such as Introduction to C and Data Structures & Algorithms. At the same time, he had identified the academic direction he wished to pursue and actively sought opportunities to deepen his knowledge through further learning and research.

Beyond numbers and lines of code, Hoàng has also actively engaged in Youth Union and Union of Students activities, Student Societies, and Class affairs. These experiences have not only helped him grow in communication, soft skills, and teamwork; but have also brought into his life senior brothers, senior sisters, and friends who have always been willing to accompany him, becoming some of the most beautiful parts of his First-year journey.

For Hoàng, the most valuable thing after a year at Hà Nội University of Science and Technology is that he has not only become better, but also become more mature. “To study under a roof that bears the national flag on its emblem, to walk past the monument “Cán bộ và sinh viên xếp bút nghiên lên đường bảo vệ Tổ quốc” (roughly translated as: “Officials and Students Setting Aside Their Pens and Taking the Road to Defend the Fatherland”) every day, or to look up at the 9 waves of knowledge alongside the national flag flying proudly atop Building C1, I can always feel so clearly the continuity between generations of “Người Bách khoa” and the responsibilities entrusted to the young people of today”, Hoàng proudly shared.

A year spent in the uniforms of the Youth Union and Union of Students, while learning and growing within the Bách khoa community, has instilled in Hoàng a deep sense of patriotism, a commitment to contribute, and the resilience that defines a HUST student. Huy Hoàng still vividly remembers the slogan echoed by more than 60,000 students at the opening ceremony of his First year at university: “Chúng ta là sinh viên Bách khoa - Chúng ta có Sức trẻ và Nghị lực - Chúng ta sống hết mình vì Tương lai” (“We are Bách khoa students - We have Youth and Resilience - We live wholeheartedly for the Future”). Whenever he introduces himself as a student of Hà Nội University of Science and Technology, Hoàng once again feels that surge of excitement and a profound sense of pride that is difficult to put into words.
  “Stereotypes Are Meant to Be Broken”

In the eyes of many, students of Hà Nội University of Science and Technology are often associated with young men and women who diligently immerse themselves in lines of code, mathematical formulas, or complex engineering drawings, yet may be somewhat reserved and hesitant when communicating in foreign languages. However, through his own experience, Hoàng has come to see that many Bách khoa students are helping to dispel this perception every day, replacing it with an image of dynamic, intellectually capable students who are remarkably confident and adept at communicating in English.

Hoàng firmly believes that stereotypes are meant to be broken. From the perspective of the 19-year-old, a new image of HUST students is gradually taking shape: one that combines strong academic and professional expertise with confidence in communication, dynamism in sports and the arts, and a readiness to shine wherever they go.

Hoàng offers several inspiring examples of the new image of HUST Students, including H.E. Phạm Gia Khiêm, former Politburo Member, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and a former National Assembly Deputy in the 12th National Assembly, who is an alumnus of K8, Faculty of Mining and Metallurgy; Editor/MC Trần Hạnh Phúc, an alumnus of K50 Electrical Engineering; and Editor/MC Dương Sơn Lâm, an alumnus of K52 Oil Refining and Petrochemicals, among others. They embody the spirit of “Người Bách khoa” - individuals with profound knowledge, soaring spirits, and the confidence to master both language and their place in the world.
  Recognizing the importance of foreign languages as a “passport” to greater opportunities, Huy Hoàng began a serious journey to conquer IELTS as early as Grade 11. The additional advantage offered by the certificate helped open the door to the Global ICT programme for him. More importantly, his solid foreign-language skills have given Hoàng an advantage in classroom learning, reading academic materials, and accessing international scientific research papers. Even in a foundational course such as Algebra, first-year students had the opportunity to practise presenting Mathematical topics… in English.

Beyond the classroom, Hoàng has also confidently taken on the role of a bilingual MC at EMCEE Club, under the Arts and Sports Division of the Youth Union of HUST, while serving on the Specialization Department of o365-HUST Society, known as the university’s “Digital Ambassador” initiative. English has become a bridge that enables Hoàng to take the initiative in striking up conversations with, guiding, and supporting international students who come to Hà Nội University of Science and Technology for academic exchange.

A particularly notable highlight of Huy Hoàng’s first-year journey was his participation in the 12th ASEAN-China Young Leaders Exchange Festival, held in Qinghai Province, China. Among more than 150 delegates, including researchers, entrepreneurs, and young officials from ASEAN countries and China, Huy Hoàng was entrusted with the responsibility of representing Việt Nam as a speaker at the Youth Salon. His confident delivery, composed manner, and global outlook expressed in English left a profound impression on his international peers.\
  Hoàng affirms: “Without foreign languages, I might never have been able to walk through the gates of Bách khoa; and without Bách khoa, I would not be the person I am today”. For Bùi Huy Hoàng, HUST has opened far more doors than the young student had once imagined: the door to knowledge, the door to personal growth, the door to connection, and, ultimately, the door to the wider world.

“If I were given the chance to choose my university preferences all over again, no matter how many times, I believe I would still place Hà Nội University of Science and Technology as my 1st choice. Because Bách khoa has not only given me an environment in which to learn, but also a foundation from which to go further. HUST brings me to the world, and I’ll do my best to carry its spirit wherever I go. I hope that what I have learned, the experiences I have gained, and the values Bách khoa has given me will stay with me as I continue to contribute; so that one day, I can bring the image of Bách khoa and Việt Nam to even more places around the world”, the ICT 02-K70 student shared.

Hoàng’s story reflects the spirit of the project “Developing English as a Second Language at Hà Nội University of Science and Technology for the 2025-2035 Period, with a Vision towards 2045”, launched in early 2026. English is no longer merely a compulsory subject within the curriculum; it has become part of the university’s everyday academic life and a core competency empowering students to confidently venture into the wider world.

Today, Hà Nội University of Science and Technology is actively expanding opportunities for international exchange and collaboration while fostering an English-speaking environment for both students and lecturers. A number of advanced academic programmes are taught entirely in English, with faculty members bringing extensive experience from overseas study and research, providing students with advanced learning experiences closely connected to international knowledge. The university’s commitment to global integration is also reflected in its admissions process: all three admission pathways - Talent-Based Admission (XTTN), the Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA), and the National High School Graduation Examination results (TN THPT) - offer substantial bonus points to applicants holding international foreign-language certificates.
 

“The more I learn English, the more I come to love and cherish Vietnamese. I have come to realize that when I use English to introduce Việt Nam to the world, I carry an even greater responsibility to preserve the purity and beauty of my mother tongue. I used to think that, when speaking English, I had to “bend” the pronunciation of Vietnamese proper names to make them sound more “native-like” - saying “Ha Noi”, “Đe Neng”, or “Viết Nàm”. But the more I learned, the more I realized how unfortunate that way of thinking was. I began to learn to cherish my own language: to say “Hà Nội”, “Đà Nẵng”, and “Việt Nam” correctly, and to preserve the diacritics of Vietnamese proper names even in texts written entirely in English. Because behind the two words “Việt Nam” lies not only a long history of our nation’s struggle, but also the sacred soul of our homeland and the blood and sacrifice of the generations before us, so that my generation can proudly speak Vietnamese today. I believe that sometimes, we have to “Go so far to come back”; sometimes, we have to learn another language in order to understand and love our mother tongue more deeply. And the farther I go, the more I want to tell my international friends, with genuine pride: “Tiếng Việt mình đẹp lắm” (“Our Vietnamese is so beautiful”).”   Bùi Huy Hoàng - Student of Class ICT 02-K70, majoring in Global ICT (IT-E7), School of Information and Communications Technology, Hà Nội University of Science and Technology