Short-term certificate On September 18, 2025, Can Tho University (CTU) solemnly welcomed the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Vietnam, led by H.E. Julien Guerrier, Ambassador of the European Union to Vietnam, along with ambassadors representing EU member states including Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, Estonia, Bulgaria, Finland, Croatia, Germany, Portugal, France, the Czech Republic, Spain, Belgium, Hungary, and Poland. Receiving and working with the delegation were Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong – Chair of CTU Council; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hieu Trung – Vice Rector; leaders of affiliated units; and students.
Overview of the program
On behalf of CTU’s leadership, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong expressed his honor in welcoming the delegation and introduced an overview of CTU’s position as a national key university in the Mekong Delta, highlighting significant achievements in education, research, and international cooperation. With its mission as a leading center for training, scientific research, and technology transfer in the Mekong Delta, CTU currently has nearly 1,900 staff members and more than 46,000 students enrolled in 121 undergraduate programs, 59 master’s programs, and 24 doctoral programs.
CTU has achieved remarkable results in cooperation with EU partners, including: 439 staff trained at European institutions at the postgraduate level; the implementation of 155 joint projects with a total budget of around 9 million euros; more than 70 memoranda of cooperation signed with 58 organizations and research institutes; 806 delegations with 1,735 visitors from the EU received at CTU; and the organization of various academic exchange programs such as the “Tropical Semester”, which has increasingly attracted European lecturers and students.
On this occasion, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong expressed his hope for continued attention and support from the EU in expanding higher education cooperation and fostering sustainable connectivity for the development of the Mekong Delta.
Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong delivering welcome remarks to the Delegation of the European Union and Member States at CTU
Speaking at the meeting, Ambassador Julien Guerrier expressed his delight at the warm reception from CTU. He emphasized that the EU highly values the increasingly strong bilateral cooperation between the EU and Vietnam in general, and between the EU and CTU in particular. He was particularly impressed by the achievements of CTU’s collaboration with European partners in recent years, especially in fields such as climate change research, high-tech agriculture, aquaculture, food security, and water security. These areas, he noted, are of great importance, contributing not only to the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta but also opening many prospects for deeper cooperation between the EU and CTU in the future.
Ambassador Julien Guerrier was impressed by CTU’s cooperation results with European partners
At the meeting, both sides also discussed and exchanged views on key cooperation projects between CTU and European partners. Delegates shared practical experiences from projects such as VLIR TEAM and ACCEES, demonstrating the tangible effectiveness of cooperation in research, training, and technology transfer. These outcomes have not only enhanced CTU’s teaching and research capacity but also positively contributed to the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta. Concluding the discussion session, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong summarized the key ideas and emphasized the importance of maintaining and expanding cooperation with European partners. CTU aims to continue strengthening linkages in education, scientific research, and academic exchange to build a solid foundation for high-quality human resource development and international integration in the coming period.
Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong also mentioned that Vietnam is making efforts to have the IUU yellow card (Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing) issued by the European Commission (EC) lifted for the country’s fisheries sector. He expressed his hope that the EU Ambassador and the ambassadors of EU member states in Vietnam would pay attention and provide support so that the IUU yellow card could be removed soon, thereby reducing the negative impacts on Vietnamese fishing communities.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hua Thai Nhan – Director of Department of External Relations and Global Education, reporting on CTU’s international cooperation with EU partners
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Ngoc Ut – Rector of the College of Aquaculture and Fisheries, CTU, sharing experience on VLIR and VLIR TEAM projects
Dr. Ngo Ba Hung – Vice Rector of the College of Information and Communication Technology, presenting experience on the ACCEES project
The visit and working session of the EU Delegation and ambassadors of EU member states not only reflected the increasingly close cooperation between EU and CTU but also opened up new opportunities for collaboration in education, research, and technology transfer. As a leading education and scientific center in the Mekong Delta, CTU identifies strengthening international cooperation as a strategic orientation to enhance the quality of human resource training, foster applied research, and actively contribute to the region’s sustainable development. CTU reaffirms its commitment to continuing its efforts and proactively expanding cooperation programs with European and international partners, thereby building a strong foundation for deep integration, addressing global challenges, and making practical contributions to the development of the nation and the region.
Group photo
Some highlights of the program:
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