The German President mentioned the Reunification train and compared young people to the "backbone" and future of the country, when talking to students of the Vietnam-Germany University.
On the afternoon of January 24, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his delegation visited and worked with the Vietnamese-German University (VGU). This school was established in 2008, on the basis of cooperation between the Government of Vietnam and the Federal Republic of Germany.
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier took time to tour the laboratory, the Global Engineering and Manufacturing practice area, and then spoke to more than 200 students and lecturers.
Talking to students, he mentioned the Thong Nhat train and expressed regret that he did not have enough time to experience the train journey of more than 1,700 km. He knew that this train passed through many scenic spots, different lands and witnessed the development of Vietnam.
"I guess many people sitting here have taken this train. I envy you," said President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier talks with students of the Vietnam-Germany University on the afternoon of January 24. Photo: VGU
In his view, Vietnam is a combination of tradition and modernity. Water puppetry and tai chi exercises by the elderly still take place around Hoan Kiem Lake, while young people are interested in technology and social networks.
Currently, more than 200,000 Vietnamese people live and work in Germany. Mr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier hopes that more and more skilled and specialized Vietnamese workers will come to Germany to work, including students of the school.
He assessed the Vietnam-Germany University as a cooperation project that marks a "lighthouse" in the relationship between the two countries, hoping that by 2032, the number of students at the university will double compared to present.
"As you know, the Reunification Train is the backbone of Vietnam, connecting the two ends of the country. I believe that the backbone of the country today is the people, especially the young people sitting here. The future belongs to you," said Mr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Speaking about the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and Germany, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that the two countries are more than 10,000 km apart but their relationship is not distant. This is demonstrated through the visits of the two countries' leaders in recent times. The two countries are also facing many challenges in the context of a constantly changing world.
After his speech, he chatted privately with some of the school's faculty and students.
Sy Anh, one of 18 students who had the chance to talk directly with the German President, was impressed by his friendliness and deep understanding of Vietnam in general and education in particular.
"Especially when he mentioned the Thong Nhat train in his speech," Sy Anh said.
German President experiences metal engraving machine at the practice area of Vietnam-Germany University on the afternoon of January 24. Photo: VGU
The talk with students of the Vietnamese-German University was part of the state visit to Vietnam by President Steinmeier and his wife on January 23-24, at the invitation of President Vo Van Thuong and his wife.
Mr. Steinmeier, 68 years old, visited Vietnam as Foreign Minister in 2008 and Deputy Prime Minister in 2016. He has made many contributions to the relationship between the two countries and is interested in the development and integration of the Vietnamese community in Germany.
Dr. Ha Thuc Vien, Vice President of Vietnam - Germany University, said that in 2008, Mr. Steinmeier witnessed the signing ceremony of the joint statement of the two governments on the establishment of the school.
"The President has contributed to laying a solid foundation for a unique project on higher education between Vietnam and the Federal Republic of Germany," said Mr. Vien, hoping that this visit will contribute to strengthening the important role of education in promoting understanding and cooperation between the two countries.
German President interacts with students of Vietnam-Germany University, afternoon of January 24. Photo: VGU
The Vietnamese-German University is part of a project to build an excellent public university, with the aim of becoming a leading research institution in Vietnam, the region and the world.
The school currently has 17 programs, belonging to 6 specialized majors in Science, Engineering, and Technology, headquartered in Binh Duong province. To date, the school has trained more than 5,000 students and graduate students. Every year, about 100-150 German professors come here to teach and share knowledge. In addition, 3% of the students are foreigners, coming from 17 countries around the world.
English is the main language of instruction throughout the school. Students also learn German as a second language. The school claims that 97% of graduates are employed within a year of graduating. Of these, 82% work in a field related to their major, and 8.6% work in Germany.
Tuition fees for one semester at Vietnam - Germany University range from 29.2 to 41.8 million VND for Vietnamese students and about 58.8-62.7 million VND for international students.
Le Nguyen
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