On the morning of May 27, 2025, as part of his State visit to Vietnam, President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron, accompanied by First Lady Brigitte Marie-Claude Macron and Vice President of Vietnam Võ Thị Ánh Xuân, visited the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH) to engage in a dialogue with Vietnamese students. This was one of the major initiatives aimed at fostering educational, scientific, and technological cooperation between the two countries.
Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân and French President Emmanuel Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoàng Tùng – Rector of Hanoi University of Civil Engineering (HUCE), led a delegation of faculty members and 30 students from the Excellent Engineer Training Program (PFIEV) to attend the event. HUCE’s participation underscored the university’s active role in the educational partnership between Vietnam and France, while affirming the high quality of its training programs and its strong capacity for international integration.
Associate Professor Dr. Hoang Tung and delegation from HUCE attended the event
During the dialogue, President Emmanuel Macron delivered a speech under the theme “France–Vietnam: A Shared Future,” emphasizing the importance of strengthening collaboration in artificial intelligence, renewable energy, digital technology, and high-quality human resource development.
In a warm and engaging atmosphere, students had the opportunity to ask questions directly and listen to the French President’s insights on pressing global challenges such as geopolitical transitions, climate change, scientific and technological advancement, and demographic issues. This valuable experience broadened students’ perspectives and inspired a deeper sense of responsibility and aspiration to contribute to national development.
Notably, Nguyễn Diệu Linh, a final-year student majoring in Transportation Infrastructure under the PFIEV program, represented students from Vietnam’s Excellent Engineer Training Program and posed a direct question to President Emmanuel Macron:
“In 1971, France’s Sixth National Investment Plan, initiated by President Pompidou, focused on nuclear power, industry, and high-speed railways. These priorities are similar to Vietnam’s current major projects initiated by General Secretary Tô Lâm. With the benefit of hindsight and the experience of a developed nation like France, do you believe that such State-driven plans can foster national progress and ensure long-term success?”
Nguyen Dieu Linh, a student of class 65KSGT, asked a question to French President Emmanuel Macron
Her question made a strong impression in the respectful and intellectually vibrant atmosphere of the dialogue, demonstrating the PFIEV–HUCE student’s deep understanding of development history, critical thinking skills, and global vision.
French President Emmanuel Macron answers students’ questions
In response, President Macron emphasized the importance of long-term strategic investment in key sectors and affirmed that nations must combine historical experience, innovation, and social commitment to achieve sustainable growth. He also reiterated France’s commitment to a twofold increase in student exchanges with Vietnam by 2030, thereby creating more opportunities for learning, cultural exchange, and collaboration between students of the two countries.
HUCE’s presence at this distinguished event was not only an honor but also a testament to its comprehensive, internationally oriented training programs—particularly in engineering education, which has long been a key area of cooperation between Vietnam and France. This participation further contributed to strengthening the enduring friendship between the two nations.
PFIEV-HUCE