On September 10th, 2018, Academic Year 2018-2019 Opening Ceremony was held at Nguyen Van Dao Hall, Vietnam National University.
The philosophy of liberal arts education and sustainable development
Rector Furuta Motoo
Established on July 21st 2014 and the first master program started from September 9th 2016, Vietnam-Japan University has 2 years of development with the proud results of training high-qualified human resources following high quality training methods transferred from top Japanese universities.
On July 21st 2018, the first intake of master programs graduated. Nearly 20% of students was given scholarships to continue studying for doctoral degrees, 52% of students are recruited to enterprises in Vietnam and Japan.
Vietnam-Japan University is consistent in pursuing the philosophy of liberal arts education in training and research activities towards a sustainable socio-economic development.
The university’s masters programs are highly interdisciplinary, encompassing the fields of social sciences, high technology and sustainable sciences, including: Area Studies, Environmental Engineering, Public Policy , Infrastructure Engineering, Nanotechnology, Business Administration and Climate Change and Development.
In 2019, the first undergraduate program of Japanese Study will be opened. This will be the most comprehensive Japanese undergraduate program in Vietnam with not only the Japanese language and culture training, but also the majors in economics, law and administration training in Japanese style. In particular, students have the opportunity to involve exchange programs with Japanese universities partners of Vietnam-Japan University and also to practice at Japanese enterprises while studying at the university. From 2020, Vietnam-Japan University will open two more master programs in advanced technology and sustainable sciences.
Speaking at the Opening Ceremony, Rector Furuta Motoo shared with the students in general and the 3rd course students in particular that: “What I want to emphasize here is related to the Liberal Arts Education philosophy. It is that each of you, while studying at the University, try to cultivate your bravery, creativity and independent critical thinking.
I think that postgraduate education is not about putting students into an established pattern, but rather focusing on helping the diverse and rich personalities of the students to blossom in order to connect the different personalities.
What we expect from you is that not to try to put yourself into the “Vietnam Japan University- like” pattern, but to be aware that each of you is a Vietnam Japan University, so be creative to create your own style of the University.
What is the Vietnam Japan University? It is each of you.
Today, the University welcomes 92 new talented students, which also means the sowing seeds to 92 different flowers to be blooming in the flower garden of Vietnam Japan University. The University welcomes 92 different personalities.
I would like to end the speech as the Rector of Vietnam Japan University here.
I would like to wish all students of the 3rd Intake to become the creators of the diversity and enrichment of Vietnam Japan University and to contribute to opening a new stage of development for Vietnam and the world.”
Cooperation for sustainable development and climate change mitigation
Vietnam-Japan University and Ibaraki University signs for Climate Change mitigation
On September 10th, Vietnam-Japan University signed a memorandum of understanding with Ibaraki University (Japan) to promote teaching, research and support for internships on climate change and development between Vietnam and Japan.
Responding to climate change is an urgent task and a global mission with efforts from nations, organizations and individuals. Therefore, searching countermeasures for this catastrophe is urgent for the sustainable development, which creates many opportunities in climate change business, such as identifying the nature, analyzing, evaluating, forecasting climate change, its impact and vulnerability, implanting climate change adaptation and mitigation measures, developing low carbon and highly resilient economic and society in harmony with nature Responding to climate change also needs well-trained scientists and professionals experts with the tools and technologies to carry out the mission. In the context of extreme climate change, while the human resources to cope with climate change is lacking, the Master program on Climate Change and Development (MCCD) aims at training human resource who can grasp and excel in these highly demanding and sustainable job opportunities.
Ibaraki University is a university specialized in the field of climate change research and training and climate change adaptation measures in areas such as Southeast Asia, with the Institue for Global Change Adaptation Science (ICAS) established in 2006.
Prof. Mai Trong Nhuan – Director of Master Program of Climate Change and Development
Special lecture on sustainable development
Prof. Nobuo Mimura
At the opening ceremony, Prof. Nobuo Mimura – Director of Ibaraki University and Prof. Tatsuya Okubo – Dean of Faculty of Engineering – University of Tokyo delivered two special lectures on the sustainable development in the future.
Prof. Tatsuya Okubo
Vu Thuan Yen – Master Program of Climate Change and Development student questioned at special lecture
