The year 2025 marked a strategic milestone in the development of the European Cooperation Center (ECC), Ton Duc Thang University (TDTU), as international cooperation activities gradually moved beyond traditional academic exchange toward a model of academic diplomacy and transnational education–technology alliances.
Through a sustainable network of partnerships with universities in the Czech Republic, together with numerous European and Southeast Asian partners, ECC has continued to strengthen its role as a strategic bridge in TDTU’s internationalisation process. At the same time, ECC has made substantive contributions to advancing the Vietnam–Czech Republic partnership in education, science and technology, and innovation.
HIGH-LEVEL ACADEMIC DIPLOMACY – RECOGNITION FROM THE CZECH REPUBLIC
A major highlight of 2025 was the official visit to TDTU by Mr. Miloš Vystrčil, President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, as part of a State-level delegation (19–23 November 2025). On this occasion, two TDTU academics were awarded the Silver Medal, the prestigious distinction of the President of the Senate, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to fostering educational and scientific cooperation between the two countries.
The conferment of this medal upon Dr. Phan Dao, Director of the European Cooperation Center, carries not only personal significance but also reflects the strong trust and high appreciation of the Czech Republic for the long-term efforts of ECC and the Bata Center in building sustainable cooperation programmes. This event represents an important turning point, affirming ECC’s role as a platform for academic connectivity and knowledge diplomacy between Vietnam and the Czech Republic.
In parallel, the reception of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Czech Republic to Vietnam, along with other high-level delegations, further consolidated TDTU’s position as a reliable academic partner within the global higher education network.
FROM BILATERAL COOPERATION TO MULTILATERAL ACADEMIC ALLIANCES
The year 2025 also witnessed a strategic shift in ECC’s cooperation approach, from bilateral programmes toward multilateral collaboration models. Working visits involving Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and VSB–Technical University of Ostrava opened a new direction through the formation of a trilateral academic alliance, laying the groundwork for joint research initiatives, collaborative training programmes, and cross-regional academic exchange.
The signing of Letters of Intent (LoIs) among partner universities was not merely ceremonial, but rather reflected a long-term vision to position TDTU as an academic connectivity hub between Europe and Southeast Asia.
ENHANCING DOCTORAL EDUCATION AND INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH
Throughout 2025, ECC continued to develop joint doctoral training programmes with strategic partners in the Czech Republic, including Tomas Bata University, University of South Bohemia, and VSB–Technical University of Ostrava. Numerous international professors participated in teaching, doctoral supervision, and academic exchange activities at TDTU, contributing to the enhancement of postgraduate education quality and the expansion of the University’s international research network.
In particular, participation in the CLARA project on artificial intelligence and brain science opened new pathways in advanced technological fields, reflecting ECC’s orientation toward interdisciplinary research aligned with global digital transformation.
PROMOTING EDUCATIONAL VALUES AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Alongside academic activities, ECC continued to implement community support programmes, most notably full scholarships for outstanding students from Quang Ngai province. In addition, ECC played a coordinating role in supporting Vietnamese universities’ missions and cooperation activities with Czech partners.
The decision by Mr. Nguyen Van Phuc, Deputy Minister of Education and Training, to assign Ton Duc Thang University as a focal institution for developing educational cooperation programmes between Vietnamese and Czech universities further demonstrates the recognition of ECC’s sustained contributions within the international education cooperation ecosystem.
CONTRIBUTING TO CITY-LEVEL POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND MOBILISING DIASPORA EXPERTISE
In early 2026, Dr. Phan Dao, Director of the European Cooperation Center, was invited by the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City to participate in the Conference “Outstanding Overseas Vietnamese Accompanying the City in Green Transformation in the Digital Era,” as one of 50 distinguished overseas Vietnamese delegates. At the conference, Dr. Phan Dao presented a policy-oriented paper proposing several strategic initiatives aimed at integrating international experience into the City’s development trajectory.
The recommendations focused on three key directions: piloting sandbox mechanisms for flexible international education and research models; establishing networks of Vietnamese experts in Central and Eastern Europe to support policy advisory and strategic projects; and promoting artificial intelligence initiatives in healthcare and smart cities through a triple-helix cooperation model involving universities, hospitals, and enterprises.
Participation in city-level policy consultation activities not only reflects the proactive engagement of the overseas Vietnamese intellectual community, but also underscores the recognition of ECC’s role in connecting global knowledge with Ho Chi Minh City’s sustainable development needs.
STRATEGIC ORIENTATION FOR 2026: TOWARDS GLOBAL ACADEMIC ALLIANCES
Entering 2026, ECC continues to pursue three strategic priorities:
- Building international academic alliances, expanding multilateral cooperation in artificial intelligence, automation, and digital transformation.
- Advancing joint doctoral supervision models, fostering interdisciplinary research and strengthening university–industry linkages.
- Reinforcing the role of academic diplomacy, enhancing TDTU’s position within global cooperation networks.
FROM ACADEMIC COOPERATION TO REGIONAL INNOVATION ALLIANCES
In the context of global higher education’s shift toward multi-layered and interdisciplinary collaboration, the European Cooperation Center aspires to serve not only as an academic bridge, but also as a platform for fostering innovation alliances among economic regions. Emerging cooperation initiatives between the Zlín Region (Czech Republic) and the Ba Ria–Vung Tau region illustrate a new pathway in which universities, local governments, and enterprises jointly build sustainable knowledge and technology ecosystems.
Building on a solid foundation of long-standing education and research cooperation, ECC continues to pursue its vision of becoming a hub for academic connectivity and knowledge diplomacy between Europe and Southeast Asia, contributing to Ho Chi Minh City’s sustainable development and international integration in the years ahead.
CONCLUSION
The year 2025 marked a clear maturation of the European Cooperation Center, as international cooperation activities expanded from academic exchange to strategic engagement linking education, research, innovation, and policy development. Key achievements—most notably the recognition from the Czech Republic through the Silver Medal of the President of the Senate—affirm the effectiveness of ECC’s long-term cooperative vision.
Entering 2026, together with the development of multilateral academic alliances and regional cooperation initiatives between the Zlín Region and Ba Ria–Vung Tau, ECC continues to advance its role as a platform for knowledge diplomacy, connecting universities, local authorities, and enterprises within the global innovation ecosystem. Building on established partnerships, ECC is expected to make meaningful contributions to the internationalisation of higher education and the sustainable development of Ho Chi Minh City and its strategic European partners.
Some highlights pictures from 2025:
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