International Office

H-BRS in Vietnam: creating new opportunities and strengthening international partnerships

Friday 23 October 2026

Nine days, numerous meetings and a wealth of ideas for international cooperation: as part of the TALENT project, Abdelrahman Fatoum, project manager for the TALENT project, and Janina-Domenica Wörmann, mobility management coordinator from the International Office, travelled to Vietnam to take part in three events. During their visit, they gained insights into the Vietnamese higher education landscape, strengthened existing contacts, forged new networks and raised awareness locally of the international study opportunities available at H-BRS.

European Higher Education Week: H-BRS showcases itself in Vietnam

At the invitation of the DAAD office in Vietnam, the H-BRS took part in events as part of European Higher Education Week 2026, which took place from 8 to 11 October in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The series of events was organised by the Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam in collaboration with the embassies and educational institutions of the EU Member States.

The event kicked off with the two-day International Education Conference & Expo (IECEE 2026), hosted by the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training (MOET). It brought together key stakeholders from the education sector as well as representatives from Vietnamese and international higher education institutions, providing a platform for dialogue and the exchange of knowledge. This enabled the international guests in particular to gain an insight into the issues currently of relevance in Vietnam.

Representatives from H-BRS made direct contact with prospective students at the Study in Europe Education Fair. The education fairs took place on 10 October in Hanoi and on 11 October in Ho Chi Minh City. The audience ranged from school pupils and their parents to university students and education agencies. At the H-BRS stand, visitors were able to find out about the range of degree programmes, entry requirements, funding options and career prospects.

In addition to the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes and PhD opportunities at the university, the TALENT project was a particular focus. The aim is to specifically draw the attention of prospective Vietnamese students with a background in computer science and artificial intelligence (AI) to the Master’s and PhD programmes offered by H-BRS. Vietnam is one of the project’s selected target countries and thus offers important opportunities for international student recruitment.

New contacts and opportunities for collaboration at the DAAD University Matchmaking and Networking Event in Ho Chi Minh City

Following the European Higher Education Week, the DAAD invited representatives from German universities to a networking event at the German House in Ho Chi Minh City. There, Felix Wagenfeld, Head of the DAAD’s Vietnam Office, welcomed ten German universities keen to expand their contacts in Vietnam. The event offered the H-BRS a further opportunity, this time at an institutional level, to engage in dialogue with representatives from Vietnamese higher education institutions, explore shared interests and identify potential synergies.

The networking event provided Abdelrahman Fatoum with a special opportunity to present the TALENT project directly to Vietnamese universities and to highlight opportunities for collaboration. The focus is on computer science students who are interested in continuing their academic careers in Germany. The high level of interest in the project provides a solid foundation for further expanding contacts with three Vietnamese universities and deepening the discussions. This also involves disseminating information on Master’s and PhD opportunities at the H-BRS and drawing the attention of students from the partner universities to events organised as part of the project. A first concrete step is already in the planning stage: next year, Vietnamese students are to be invited to the ‘Applied Experience Week’ summer school at the H-BRS.

TALENT-Project

Insights into the Vietnamese-German University and prospects for joint degree programmes

The trip concluded with participation in the International Staff Week at the Vietnamese-German University (VGU) – to date, H-BRS’s only partner university in Vietnam. The varied programme gave the guests in-depth insights into the origins, organisation and development of the VGU. At the same time, it offered numerous opportunities for professional and personal exchange, for example through one-to-one discussions, departmental presentations and the university’s International Day.

The exchange with the VGU is particularly relevant for the H-BRS, especially with a view to further developing academic cooperation: both universities are currently in discussions about establishing a joint double-degree programme in the Department of Computer Science. Such a programme would give students the opportunity to study at both universities and obtain degrees from both institutions. These discussions offer a promising prospect for further deepening the existing partnership and expanding the international study programmes offered by both universities.

At the International Day, H-BRS presented its range of degree programmes, particularly in the field of computer science, and provided information to students on the spot about opportunities to study in Germany. The face-to-face discussions offered an opportunity to answer questions and to present the university as an attractive location for study and research.

The programme was complemented by two company visits and discussions with representatives from the German Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City, the Goethe-Institut and the German Chamber of Commerce Abroad (AHK). These discussions also covered the broader framework conditions for German-Vietnamese cooperation: from visa procedures and German language certifications to Vietnam as a location for German companies. These perspectives highlighted the wide range of factors influencing international mobility, university cooperation and academic exchange.

Valuable insights for international cooperation

The nine days spent in Vietnam provided the H-BRS with a wide range of insights into the Vietnamese higher education system and German-Vietnamese relations from academic, institutional and economic perspectives. Above all, new contacts were forged and concrete starting points identified for further expanding international study and cooperation opportunities. As the events took place both in Hanoi in the north and in Ho Chi Minh City in the south of the country, our colleagues were also able to get to know two cities with very different characters: whilst Hanoi, as the political capital, impresses with its history and cultural traditions, Ho Chi Minh City presents itself as a dynamic economic centre and international metropolis.

We would like to thank the DAAD office in Vietnam for the invitation and the Vietnamese-German University for organising the International Staff Week. The trip was an exciting and instructive experience for us. We greatly appreciated the open exchange and the numerous encounters, and we are taking away many valuable ideas for the H-BRS’s future international cooperation.