The opening ceremony, themed "Breaking through to lead," saw VinUni welcome 37 international students from 35 countries and territories, comprising 5% of the total student body. The university expects to host an additional 600 international undergraduate and graduate students this year through exchange and partnership programs.
The incoming class achieved an average SAT score of 1480 and an average IELTS score of 7.5. Every student has earned academic awards or demonstrated exceptional talent in extracurricular activities, culture, arts, or sports.
 |
New VinUni students at the opening ceremony. Photo: VinUni |
New VinUni students at the opening ceremony. Photo: VinUni
According to Professor Phan Manh Huong, director of the VinUni Center for Materials Technology Innovation, "Breaking through to lead" embodies the journey of science: each step forward begins with curiosity and persistent effort.
"I hope the sixth cohort of VinUni students will persevere with difficult questions, because it is this breakthrough in thinking that allows us to make small but meaningful contributions to the future of Vietnam and the world," he emphasized.
In addition to welcoming new students, VinUni introduced Professor Yap-Peng Tan, former dean of the College of Engineering at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore, as its new president. Professor Ling San, former provost and former president of NTU, was also introduced as the new vice chairman of the university's board of trustees.
 |
Professor Yap-Peng Tan, president of VinUni, rings the opening bell. Photo: VinUni |
Professor Yap-Peng Tan, president of VinUni, rings the opening bell. Photo: VinUni
Professor Tan is a renowned scientist in image and video processing, computer vision, AI, and big data. At NTU, he championed interdisciplinary education, international collaboration, and the establishment of co-innovation labs (joint innovation laboratories between universities and businesses).
Professor San is a distinguished mathematician specializing in combinatorial design, coding theory, cryptography, and number theory. He was instrumental in maintaining NTU's position among the world's top universities for many years, including its 12th place in the 2026 QS World Rankings, with several science and technology fields ranking in the global top 10.
VinUni hopes the leadership of these two former NTU figures will propel the university to new heights in education, research, and innovation.
"I came to Vietnam to help VinUni achieve a breakthrough. I hope VinUni will become a testament to the power of global collaboration, not only training capable global citizens but also creating scientific and technological solutions for Vietnam's sustainable development," Professor Tan shared.
 |
International students at the VinUni opening ceremony. Photo: VinUni |
International students at the VinUni opening ceremony. Photo: VinUni
VinUni also announced the initial results of the VinUni 500 campaign, an initiative to attract 500 global scholars, in response to Resolution 57 of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science, technology, and innovation. In the 2025-2026 academic year, the university has recruited 100 global scientists, including 45 research lecturers, 15 scholars, and 40 adjunct lecturers.
Following the ceremony, VinUni announced the establishment of new centers of excellence and welcomed leading professors: Professor Vu Ha Van, formerly of Yale University (USA), joined the board of trustees and became the director of the VinUni Institute for Big Data Research; Professor Duong Nguyen Vu, formerly of NTU (Singapore), became vice provost for graduate studies and director of the AI Research Center; Professor Edmund J. Malesky of Duke University (USA) will lead the Smart Green Transformation Center; and Professor Phan Manh Huong of the University of South Florida (USA) will manage the Center for Materials Technology Innovation.
 |
The new president, vice chairman of the board of trustees, and professors greet new students. Photo: VinUni |
The new president, vice chairman of the board of trustees, and professors greet new students. Photo: VinUni
The new research centers will be organized into interdisciplinary clusters focusing on smart health, smart environment, artificial intelligence, and big data. R&D experts from the business ecosystem, particularly from VinFast, Vinmec, VinRobotics, and VinMotion, will collaborate with VinUni faculty and students to promote scientific publications, develop patents, transfer technology, and foster innovative startups.
Nhat Le
