On the morning of 23 October 2023, VNU University of Law held the opening ceremony for the 22nd cohort of the Master’s Program in International Economic Cooperation and Business Law. The ceremony was attended by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Que Anh, Rector of VNU University of Law; Mr. Jean Sagot-Duvauroux, Program Director; Ms. Phung Thi Thanh Tu, representing the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF); and the 24 students of the cohort.
In his remarks, coordinator Damien Negre said he was honored to take part in the ceremony. He described the program as the result of effort from both sides, particularly VNU, a leading university in Vietnam that draws students from around the world. On the quality of the program, he said the course content is written by both French and Vietnamese professors, giving students perspectives they would not gain from studying in a single country alone.
Rector Nguyen Thi Que Anh, representing VNU University of Law, said this year’s cohort begins under special circumstances, as the first year the institution has officially become VNU University of Law. She said the 2023 cohort has 27 students, including 24 from France, 1 from Senegal, and 2 from Vietnam, making it one of VNU’s most notable international joint programs given the high proportion of students from Europe. She said students in the program would gain exposure to open, flexible legal thinking, alongside cultural and personal connections between the two countries. She described cooperation with French universities as a long-standing effort between Vietnam and France, and said the University’s international training office would provide full support to ensure the best possible learning conditions for the cohort. She closed by thanking the students for choosing the program and wishing them and the teaching staff a productive year.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Jean Sagot-Duvauroux said the Master’s program has developed over 22 years, with steadily improving quality, reflected in the number of graduates now working at global organizations in business, trade and law. He attributed the quality of the degree to close cooperation among four universities, citing VNU University of Law’s contribution of facilities, qualified lecturers and, most importantly, its trust in the program. He said he and the students would do everything they could to honor the trust placed in them by the Rector and the University.
One student, sharing their impressions, said the cohort agreed with what the speakers had said and was excited to begin the program in Hanoi, describing it as an opportunity to see life from a different perspective and an experience they would remember for years to come. The student said the program carried particular importance for their future careers and thanked the Rector, the Program Director and all those involved in preparing and teaching the course.
Students received their student ID cards from Rector Nguyen Thi Que Anh.
The ceremony concluded successfully after just over an hour.
