The Master’s Program in Economic Cooperation and International Business Law (DCEAI) is an international joint program delivered in Vietnam by VNU University of Law in cooperation with three leading French universities: Toulouse 1 Capitole University, Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University, and the University of Bordeaux.
The Master’s Program has been offered in Hanoi since 2001. A similar program, the Master’s Program in International and Comparative Business Law, is offered in Ho Chi Minh City under the same model and with the same partner universities.
These programs are delivered in Vietnam rather than in France and were originally designed to meet the needs of students from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), Hanoi Office, supported the establishment and implementation of the program and continues to provide institutional support.
Graduates receive a degree awarded by one of the three partner French universities and recognized by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research.
Students have the opportunity to study and conduct research entirely in French, following the curricula of the partner French universities. In addition, selected courses are taught in English, such as International Contract Drafting and International Commercial Arbitration Procedures.
Students have access to the online services of the degree-awarding university, particularly its digital library resources.
Approximately 70% of the program is taught by faculty members from the partner French universities. Other instructors include faculty members from VNU University of Law and Foreign Trade University, as well as lawyers and experts from French organizations in Vietnam.
Students have opportunities to participate in international academic and research activities at VNU University of Law and within the program, as well as internship opportunities at various Francophone organizations in Hanoi.
Students become members of the program’s alumni network, which includes numerous lawyers and legal professionals working in different countries around the world.
Duration: 12 months, from October 2025 to September 2026.
Class schedule: Evening classes from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Course delivery: Individual courses are delivered intensively over approximately one week to ten days, depending on the availability and work schedules of the instructors.
Tuition fees and other charges: USD 2,500.
The curriculum is developed on the basis of French Master’s-level programs, with appropriate adjustments and extensions to incorporate the legal systems of Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries.
Courses and seminars are taught by French and Vietnamese professors and legal scholars, as well as practicing lawyers and legal experts in Vietnam and the region. The program places strong emphasis on research methodology, academic learning methods, and research supervision by experienced faculty members and legal professionals. Students are also supported throughout their studies by French and Vietnamese program coordinators and connected with the program’s extensive alumni network.
The program is delivered in French and English and consists of the following main components:
Regional Integration Law (ASEAN, EU)
Foreign Investment Law
Public-Private Partnership Law
Public Property Law
Environmental Law and Sustainable Development
International Economic Law (WTO)
Competition Law
International Contracts and Commercial Arbitration
International Intellectual Property Law
E-Commerce Law
Private International Law
Corporate Law: Governance, Ethics and Compliance
Business Criminal Law
Comparative Labor Law
International and Comparative Tax Law
International Credit and Guarantees Law
Research Methodology
Thematic Seminars
Business English (International Contract Drafting and International Commercial Arbitration Procedures)
Master’s Thesis or Internship Report
Legal English workshops are delivered by specialized practicing lawyers and cover topics including:
International Contract Drafting
International Commercial Arbitration Procedures
The program requires students to complete a Master’s thesis. Students are also encouraged to undertake an internship during the academic year, provided that it does not conflict with the class schedule.
The program is jointly implemented by the three French partner universities — the University of Bordeaux, Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University, and Toulouse 1 Capitole University — and VNU University of Law, together with other key partner institutions, including the regional offices of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) in Cambodia and Laos and Université Laval in Quebec, Canada.
The degree-awarding university rotates among the three French partner universities each academic year:
2022–2023: Toulouse 1 Capitole University
2023–2024: University of Bordeaux
2024–2025: Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University
2025–2026: Toulouse 1 Capitole University
Admission quota: 35 students.
Selection process: Admission is based on application documents, with an interview potentially required. Applicants must have completed an M1-level degree at one of the three French partner universities.
Application: Applications are submitted to the designated contact persons at the three French partner universities and to the Vietnamese program coordinator. Interviews may be conducted to assess applicants’ motivation and suitability for the program.
French language proficiency: DELF B2 or equivalent.
Applicants must hold one of the following qualifications:
A four-year Bachelor’s degree in Law;
A four-year Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Business, or French Studies;
An equivalent four-year degree in a field related to the program, together with at least three years of professional experience in a position involving relevant responsibilities.
Vietnamese Program Coordinator:
Mr. Pham Nguyen Hoang Long
Email: longpnh@vnu.edu.vn
VNU University of Law
Room 504, E1 Building
144 Xuan Thuy Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel: +84 (0)24 3754 9928
Fax: +84 (0)24 3754 7081
Mobile/Zalo: +84 903 209 546
