On May 7th, 2018, the opening ceremony for the first course of the International Partnership Master’s joint training programme in “German Language” and “teaching German as a foreign and second language in the Vietnam – Germany context” was held at ULIS-Sunwah Hall.

The program’s certificates will be jointly granted by the University of Languages and International Studies – Vietnam National University, Hanoi (ULIS – VNU) and Leipzig University (Germany) with the sponsorship from EU (Erasmus+ Program) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

Attending the ceremony, from the foreign guests, were Mr. Christian Berger – the Ambassador of Germany to Vietnam, Mr. Stefan Hase-Bergen – Chief Representative of DAAD in Hanoi, Ms. Mareike Steinberger – Vice President of Goethe-Institute Hanoi and Ms. Suzana – Representative from Herder Institute – Leipzig University. From Vietnamese side, the ceremony was participated by Ms. Le Thi Thu Thuy – Vice Director of VNU’s Academic Affairs Department, Ms. Dang Thi Thu Hien – Dean of the German Department – Hanoi University. From ULIS, the ceremony received the presence of Dr. Do Tuan Minh – ULIS’s President, representatives from faculties, staff, and lecturers of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Faculty of German Language and Culture, Master students and students majoring in German.

The Master’s training international joint program between ULIS and Leipzig University aims to deliver an integrated Master’s program in order to generate internationally-qualified human resources. The program equips learners with necessary skills for conducting professional activities on a scientific basis, advanced expertise in German language, the cultures of German-speaking countries as well as German teaching methods and approaches essential for independent, scientific, and systematic research to develop creative thinking and responsible actions. The second objective of the program is to develop a contingent of teaching staff and training management staff as well as promote technology acquisition and transfer. Through the program, ULIS can also enhance its international cooperation, particularly with Leipzig University, thereby strengthening the position of the ULIS and VNU. The program was approved on June 1st, 2017. The annual enrolment scale is 10 students (5 students from each school). 2 German and 5 Vietnamese students have been accepted in the first admission.

Addressing at the opening ceremony, President Minh extended his thanks to Prof. Dr. Fandrych, Prof. Dr. Karen Schramm, the EU, DAAD, VNU and other organizations and individuals for their contributions to the new master training program as well as his congratulations to 7 students of the first course.
“Today is the official opening ceremony of the International Partnership Program, but it is also the continuation as well as a turning point of cooperative activities between the two sides over the past many years. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my deepest and most sincere thanks to all individuals and organizations of the two countries. We are here today to celebrate and congratulate each other and, more importantly, the students who succeeded in taking on the International Partnership Program. Thank you for joining the program and I believe that this will be a great opportunity for you. All of us here today are the ones who “create” this opportunity for the students, according to the philosophy of ULIS “create opportunities together.”

At the same time, students participating in the program are also “creating” opportunities for ULIS – VNU to cooperate with Leipzig University. You are the ones who open up opportunities for lecturers of the Faculty of German Language and Culture to teach and exchange academically with their colleagues from Leipzig University. In this partnership program, students from different cultures will be studying together in VietNam and Germany. This is the opportunity for students to meet and understand one another better. Despite all differences in our customs, habits, religions and political institutions, we all have one thing in common, which is “to look forward to the future, aspire to do the very best for ourselves, our family, our country and even the world”, said President Minh.

“This partnership program between ULIS – VNU and Leipzig University is very special because this is the first Master’s program in teaching German as a foreign language and German linguistics in Vietnam. Apart from other Leipzig University’s programs, this is the first training program in “teaching German as the foreign and second language” in Germany, which is particularly designed for the Southeast Asia region.

The affiliation in this training program reflected the close relationship in culture between Vietnam and Germany. Many Vietnamese people manifest their desires of maintaining and promoting a close and durable relationship with Germany through learning German. Some important partners of the Embassy of Germany in culture, economics and politics are Vietnamese, who used to major in German language and some of whom used to study in Germany.

This program also creates a rare opportunity for undergraduates in Vietnam to improve their qualification and an important step in satisfying the increasing demand on German teachers at high schools and universities”, added Ambassador Christian Berger.


The opening ceremony of the first Master International Partnership Programme between ULIS – VNU and Leipzig University received many success wishes and ushered in a Vietnam-Germany “fairy tale” between the two universities.