The Vietnam–France Master’s Program in Applied Mathematics was established based on an agreement between the governments of Vietnam and France and has been running since 2007. Over 270 graduates have earned their Master’s degrees through the program, and nearly 60% have completed PhD programs at prestigious universities in Europe, America, and Asia. Many alumni of the program have gone on to become researchers, lecturers, and professionals in their fields...
High-Quality Human Resource Development
Dr. Võ Đức Cẩm Hải, Deputy Head of the Faculty of Mathematics – Informatics, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), stated that in October 2004, during French President Jacques Chirac’s visit to Hanoi, the governments of France and Vietnam signed an agreement to implement the joint Master’s Program in Applied Mathematics between VNU-HCM and the University of Orléans as well as several other institutions in France (abbreviated as the Vietnam–France Master’s Program in Applied Mathematics) from 2007 onward.
This program provides master-level training in mathematics at the lowest possible cost, with an investment of approximately 60 million VND per student funded by the French government. Although the program is at the master’s level, its primary goal is to prepare Vietnamese students for fully funded PhD scholarships at universities in France and other countries. Typically, more than half of the students in the program receive scholarships to pursue PhDs in France or Europe. The program has thus contributed significantly to the development of high-quality human resources in applied mathematics.
According to MSc Võ Đức Cẩm Hải, with strong support from VNU-HCM leadership, the program has been implemented very smoothly. The Vietnamese university works closely with its French partner institutions, prioritizing training quality above all else. A key strength of the program is that teaching, assessments, and degree issuance are all handled by professors from prestigious French universities. Many alumni have achieved notable success in research, including:
Prof. Phan Thành Nam, Institute of Mathematics, LMU Munich, Germany – the first Vietnamese recipient of the 2020 European Mathematical Society Prize;
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Thanh Bình, University of Science (VNU-HCM) – winner of the 2021 Golden Globe Award;
Prof. Hồ Phạm Minh Nhật, now a full professor in Data Science, Statistics, and Machine Learning at the University of Texas – Austin, USA.
The Need for a Long-Term Strategy
As one of the “fruits” of the program, Prof. Phan Thành Nam, Institute of Mathematics (LMU Munich), shared: “This is a program with minimal cost but maximum benefit. Despite the very low tuition, students are exposed to a high-quality learning environment. Besides direct instruction from esteemed professors in Vietnam and France, outstanding students also have opportunities to intern and work at leading universities in France. Through these experiences, many have gained exposure to important research directions and secured PhD scholarships at major research centers worldwide. Some have even transitioned from academic research to working in companies applying mathematics and achieved great success.”
He added: “I believe that narrowing the gap between Vietnam and European countries in applied mathematics requires close collaboration among governments, universities, businesses, and the research community, with long-term commitment and comprehensive strategies from all stakeholders.”
After completing his PhD in France, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Thanh Bình returned to Vietnam, answering the call of his homeland, with the goal of establishing his own research group and serving as a bridge for students seeking study opportunities abroad through master’s and PhD programs. Over nearly 12 years at the University of Science, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Thanh Bình has helped nearly 30 students and master’s graduates secure PhD scholarships at prestigious universities and research institutes abroad. Many of his students have completed their PhDs and are now working internationally.
Drawing from his international academic and research experience, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Thanh Bình hopes that: currently, young mathematicians face considerable difficulties in securing domestic research funding, as mathematics research grants are limited and highly competitive. Therefore, he strongly encourages the government and relevant agencies to consider increasing investment in basic scientific research, creating more opportunities for young scientists and talented researchers across various fields of mathematics to more easily obtain research funding.