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| Assoc.Prof.Dr. Dang Hong Son (top left) signs an MoU with 17 universities to establish the Mekong Subregion Higher Education Network (June 2026) |
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Thailand, VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU-USSH) is contributing to efforts to establish a Vietnamese Studies Center at Khon Kaen University - a meaningful milestone in educational, scientific, and cultural cooperation between the two countries.
The Center aims to become a hub for research, teaching, and academic exchange on Vietnam in Northeastern Thailand, while also helping bring the Vietnamese language, culture, and a deeper understanding of Vietnam and its people closer to Thai communities and younger generations.
Notably, Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Tuong Lai, who laid the foundation for the development of Thai Studies at VNU-USSH, has been entrusted with the role of Director of the Center. His appointment also reflects the enduring academic ties that have been cultivated between the two countries over many years.
According to Hoang Anh Tuan, Rector of VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities, current cooperation can broadly be seen as focusing on three main areas.
First, student exchange. Each year, the two sides exchange more than 200 undergraduate and postgraduate students. Alongside cultural exchange activities, internship and short-term study programs have received increasing attention and become more regular and structured.
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| Contestants participating in the Vietnamese Public Speaking Competition for High School Students at Udon Thani Rajabhat University (August 2026) |
This past summer, students majoring in Thai Studies at VNU-USSH participated in an internship program at Chiang Mai University. In the other direction, students from the Faculty of Liberal Arts at Thammasat University came to Vietnam to take courses in Vietnamese language and culture. These activities go beyond cultural exchange, as they are integrated into academic programs and recognized for academic credit.
Second, postgraduate education. The two sides have jointly trained a significant number of master’s and doctoral students. Notably, after completing their programs, some graduates have gone on to become key lecturers and researchers at their respective educational institutions.
This demonstrates that human resource development and capacity building constitute one of the most sustainable pillars of higher education cooperation.
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Third, scientific research, academic conferences, and publications. Each year, dozens of VNU-USSH lecturers participate in academic conferences in Thailand. These activities have resulted in numerous joint research outputs published through reputable academic channels and publishing houses, contributing to the expansion and strengthening of academic networks between the two countries.
From Thai Studies to Vietnamese Studies, from student exchanges to interdisciplinary research on the natural and social ecosystems of the Mekong River, cooperation between VNU and its Thai partners continues to expand in both scope and depth, generating increasingly practical and meaningful outcomes.
A new Center - a new bridge, bringing Vietnam closer to Thai friends and further strengthening the friendship between Vietnam and Thailand.
