Duy Tan Dream

DTU has set itself the strategic goal of entering the top 300 universities in Asia by 2022 and the top 150 by 2025.

“To realize that goal, the university will have to draw up a detailed plan to work with the City of Danang to develop new policies and invest in real estate and human resources,” said Acting Danang Party Committee Vice-Secretary Vo Cong Tri at a meeting at DTU on May 10.

Vice-Provost Dr. Vo Thanh Hai briefed the city authorities on DTU’s achievements and the difficulties it is currently facing.

 

In 2017, 92.7% of students will find employment on graduation, which is high and rising every year. DTU has educated thousands of engineers and other graduates to provide the provinces of Central Vietnam and the Central Highlands with a highly-qualified workforce.

“Several years ago, DTU had very few research papers published internationally but recently the university has been building a first-class research team, with many PhDs educated in the USA, France, South Korea and elsewhere,” explained Dr. Hai. “The number of international research publications has been increasing year-by-year.”

DTU has so far received 36 city and government research projects, 20 Nafosted projects and 2 projects with foreign funding, publishing 486 papers in ISI and Scopus journals and in one international-level science and technology journal. In 2012. DTU shares advanced curricula and teaching methods around the world in several different disciplines. However, DTU also has to deal with significant difficulties and challenges which require the support of the city authorities.

“Our main source of income is still from tuition,” said Dr. Hai. “The university still does not yet enjoy access to preferential loans from the city and the national government. The main problem is that the university’s infrastructure and facilities do not yet meet the space requirement of at least 25 m² per student.”

Distinguished Teacher Le Cong Co, DTU Provost and President, expressed the wish that the city would provide support with infrastructure and land, because the capacity of the university is too small and decentralized. Thirty hectares on Hoang Van Thai Street in the Hoa Nhon ward of the Hoa Vang district of Danang could be allocated for university buildings with classrooms and laboratories. In addition, DTU wants to purchase some public buildings, which were former People’s Committee departments, to accommodate general management and administration offices.

Acting Danang People’s Committee Vice-Chairperson, Mr. Dang Viet Dung, proposed that DTU should draw up a strategic plan detailing the issues that the city must invest in, such as capital, land and human resources. To train the local workforce, DTU should offer a truly international education and work closely with city departments to propose focused and practical joint projects.

Mr. Tri acknowledged that he highly respects the valuable contribution that DTU makes to the development of the city. In the future, the university will focus on training linked with fundamental and applied research. The education plans should be coordinated however, to avoid developing programs one way and training another. Mr. Tri added that DTU should continue improving its standard of education and focus on quality accreditation. The university should tailor its curricula to meet regional and international standards, to satisfy local market requirements. When offering new majors, the university should observe the professional practical needs of local businesses, now and in the future.

 

DTU should particularly concentrate on upgrading curricula, content and teaching and study methods, together with its way of thinking. Graduates should not only be able to find employment, but also be able to create their own national start-ups. The Vice-Secretary concluded by saying that, in response DTU’s requests, the relevant departments will work with and support the university with procedures for land acquisition.