Students attending an advanced training programme at the National Economics University and the Hanoi Foreign Trade University exchanged views with a group of economic students from the US Marshall University on Jan. 6.

The annual activity is part of the advanced training programme for the bachelors degree, to help Vietnamese students expand their knowledge and exchange views with their US contemporaries.

At the meeting, the students discussed current global economic matters such as the current global financial crisis and its impact on developed countries in 2009.

The advanced training programme is being held at the National Economics University and the Hanoi Foreign Trade University, in cooperation with Marshall University.

Students attending this programme use English in their studies and training programme is equivalent to that in US universities. They also attend a number of lectures given by professors from the US.

The annual exchange of views between Vietnamese and US students helps Vietnam improve upon the limitations and challenges of the tertiary education system.

Meanwhile, the Washington DC-based Vietnam Education Fund (VEF) has awarded US universities scholarships to 267 Vietnamese students over the past six years.

VEF fellows have been made their nation proud with their excellent academic records, VEF Executive Manager Vo Van Toi said at a two-day annual conference in Washington DC on January 4.

22 percent of VEF scholarship students have recorded A marks and 70 percent B marks.
Many VEF beneficiaries have returned to Vietnam for work upon graduation to contribute their knowledge to national development, Mr Toi said.

Ambassador Le Cong Phung said he highly values VEF educational programmes as an important source of human resource development for the nation, which is now in a dire need of intellectuals and experts.

”Young scientists are always welcomed to the homeland to contribute their knowledge to the national development,” said Mr Phung.

VEF fellows present at the event gave a standing ovation when Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Dinh Tien announced the Vietnamese Government’s decision to set up a Scientific Investment Fund.

The fund will create more opportunities for domestic scientific circles to develop their talents.