From June 10 to June 12, 2025, Ha Long University took part in a training program under the framework of the DEVICES project – “Developing Education in Vietnam and Cambodia Enhancing Employability for Students”, hosted by Hanoi University. The event welcomed representatives from partner universities in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Europe.

Representing Ha Long University at the training program was a delegation led by Dr. Phan Thi Hue – Vice Rector and Project Leader of the DEVICES project at Ha Long University. Other members included Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Quy Giang – Head of the Office of International Cooperation and Scientific Management; Mr. Nguyen Quoc Tuan – Head of the Office of Political Affairs, Student Management and Support; and Ms. To Thi Thai Ha – Staff of the Office of International Cooperation and Scientific Management and project coordinator.

Photo 1: Members of Ha Long University's delegation with Ms. Pham Thi Phuong Thao – National Coordinator of the DEVICES project

The DEVICES project plays an important role in enhancing students' core competencies and helping them position themselves in the labor market. The project focuses on enabling students to apply digital technology to develop their personal digital competence profiles, which is expected to be highly applicable in the ever-evolving technological era.

During the internal working session on June 10, 2025, Professor Lorella Giannandrea – Dean of the Faculty of Education, Cultural Heritage, and Tourism at the University of Macerata (Italy), the project coordinator, presented an overview of the project, provided updates on its progress, and emphasized key objectives for the upcoming stages. One major focus is the development of an interdisciplinary digital learning space – a core component of the project. Ha Long University also reported that it had conducted the largest number of surveys among all member institutions in Vietnam and Cambodia. Representatives from other partner universities also shared their contributions and roles in the project, further clarifying the collective direction.

On June 11, 2025, the project experts held an introduction and discussion session with students from Hanoi University. The session was lively, with students asking questions about applying digital competence profiles in job searching and suggesting features they hoped to see integrated into the digital profiles. These interactions provided valuable input for the project team to refine its next phases.

Photos 2 & 3: Discussion session with students

On June 12, 2025, an internal meeting was held to discuss the project's financial management, communication, and quality control. During this session, the project team agreed that the next coordination meeting will be hosted by the University of Alicante (Spain) in November 2025.

The training program not only reaffirmed the commitment to realizing the project’s goals but also opened up prospects for long-term cooperation between higher education institutions in the region and Europe. The overarching aim is to comprehensively enhance students' employability in the digital age. Ha Long University reaffirms its commitment to actively contributing to the growth and success of the DEVICES project.

The DEVICES project – “Developing Education in Vietnam and Cambodia Enhancing Employability for Students” – officially commenced in December 2024 and will be implemented over 36 months. It is funded by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) under the European Commission (EC). The project includes 9 partners: University of Macerata and STEPS (Italy), University of Alicante (Spain), WSG University in Bydgoszcz (Poland); three Vietnamese universities: Hanoi University, Ha Long University, and Nha Trang University; and two Cambodian universities: Cheasim Kamchaymear National University and Battambang National University.

Photo 4: Representatives of DEVICES project partner institutions from Vietnam, Europe, and Cambodia

Nguyen Thanh Hien - Office of International Cooperation and Science Management