On March 7, 2023, the high-level delegation of the Francophone University Agency (AUF) led by its President Prof. Slim Khalbous visited and worked with leaders of the University of Danang (UD), an active member of AUF since 1995. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu – President of UD chaired the meeting and worked with the delegation. On this occasion, the two sides jointly opened the Francophone Employability Center (CEF Danang) located at University of Technology and Education – UD.

Also attending the meeting was Prof. Laurent Sermet - Director General of AUF Asia-Pacific region; Ms. Do Hoang Linh Nga - AUF's Communications Coordinator; Mr. Huynh Duc Truong - Director of Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Hieu - Rector of University of Science and Technology-UD; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Cao Tho - Rector of University of Technology and Education – UD, and leader representatives of the of member universities/affiliated units of the UD; representatives of start-up enterprises and innovation centers in Da Nang (Da Nang Business Incubator DNES, Unisoft, Smart City Project ...).

Overview of the meeting. 

At the meeting, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu – President of the UD welcomed the AUF President Prof. Slim Khalbous and AUF delegation to visit and work with the UD. Especially, President Nguyen Ngoc Vu thanked the AUF for the valuable, effective companionship and support that has been given to the UD for nearly 30 years.

With the strategy and vision to become the top major scientific training and research centers of Vietnam, also in the region and the world; and with the aspiration to become a national university, the UD attached great importance to cooperate with international organizations and prestigious universities, partners in the world, especially AUF and universities in the Francophone community, considering this as the key to improve the quality of training and scientific research, with the aim of sustainable development. 

The UD highly thanked AUF and appreciated the results of cooperation between the two sides over the years, contributing to the development of the UD; demonstrating the outstanding mission and role with hallmarks such as: Forming Francophone training programs at the UD; Implementing scholarship programs, exchanging  lecturers, researchers and students in Francophone countries around the world; Implementing  scientific research projects and international cooperation; Establishing  DNIIT - Danang International Institute of Technology (with the cooperation of AUF, University of Côte d'Azur and the UD), etc.

Speaking at the meeting, Prof. Slim Khalbous expressed his pleasure to visit and work with the UD. The AUF leader thanked the gracious and hospitable welcome of the UD leaders, and expressed the hope to have more opportunities for cooperation with the UD in the coming up time. 

High appreciating the UD's strategy and vision, including the international cooperation strategy with many contents in line with AUF's global strategy, which carries the mission of providing opportunities for cooperation through knowledge for the development of members, the AUF President acknowledged and shared with the UD leaders the proposals and orientations to strengthen cooperation between the two sides. 

The UD's President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu presented gift to Prof. Slim Khalbous.

The delegates discussed and concretized the cooperation contents according to the orientation of the two sides such as: Strengthening French language training and French specialized training programs; Proposing AUF to support and foster advanced French for UD lectures participating in Project 89 of the Vietnamese Government on PhD training; Supporting the UD to develop research groups and coordinate in organizing international scientific conferences... 

At the meeting, leaders of the AUF, the UD and University of Technology and Education - UD conducted the opening ceremony of CEF Danang Center; planting souvenir trees on campus.

The establishment ceremony of CEF Danang. 

The establishment of CEF Danang located at University of Technology and Education - UD is expected to bring more opportunities for career guidance, career development, entrepreneurship for students; promote academia - industry, contribute to the community’s development.

CEF Danang is 1 of 3 CEF centers in Vietnam and among 9 CEF centers established by AUF in 7 countries in the Asia-Pacific region (Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia, Thailand, China, Vanuatu and Vietnam). The center is designed according to international standards and will implement many activities in main areas: Consulting, providing information and guiding job search; Training soft skills; Providing career and entrepreneurship certification.