15/10/2026
The quality of higher education is reflected not only in academic programmes, learning outcomes and degrees, but also in graduates’ ability to adapt to the workplace and apply their knowledge in real-world settings. With this in mind, Hong Duc University has increasingly focused on aligning its training activities with labour market needs, enabling students to gain professional experience while still pursuing their studies.
Leaders of Hong Duc University and Business Representatives Sign a Cooperation Agreement to Strengthen the Link Between Education and Practical Needs
Following its merger in July 2026, the University expanded its scale and resources, with 920 civil servants and employees, including 541 lecturers, 232 PhD holders and 34 associate professors. HDU currently offers eight doctoral specialisations, more than 25 master's specialisations and 54 undergraduate programmes, serving over 19,000 learners. This growth also brings greater responsibility for improving educational quality, meeting workforce demands and supporting the development priorities of the local community.
During the 2025–2026 academic year, the University arranged graduation internships at agencies, organisations and enterprises for 1,475 final-year students in non-pedagogical disciplines. These placements enabled students to apply their academic knowledge, familiarise themselves with professional procedures, develop practical skills and gain a clearer understanding of workplace expectations before graduation.
In several disciplines, cooperation has extended directly into production and business environments. Students majoring in Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, for example, participated in paid curricular internships at corporate farm systems under training and recruitment cooperation arrangements between the enterprises and the University. Through these activities, students gained first-hand experience of production processes, technologies and professional working practices, helping them gradually develop the competencies required for their future careers.
Hong Duc University and the Thanh Hoa Business Association Co-organize a Career Guidance Forum on “Choosing a Job or a Career: Adaptation Strategies for Students in the AI Era” in May 2026
Alongside internships, career guidance and recruitment activities have also been expanded. In May 2026, Career Day 2026 at HDU attracted 60 enterprises offering direct recruitment opportunities. The event aimed to connect approximately 3,000 students and workers with employment and internship opportunities, while providing insights into labour market trends.
On 22 August 2026, AEON MALL Thanh Hoa, in collaboration with Hong Duc University, organised the AEON MALL Thanh Hoa Job Fair 2026. Featuring nearly 70 recruitment booths and more than 500 job vacancies, the event created opportunities for students, alumni and workers to meet employers, learn about job requirements, receive career advice and participate in direct interviews.
These activities demonstrate that the connection between education and the labour market extends beyond the final stages of university study. Internships allow students to test their knowledge in practice and strengthen their professional skills, while recruitment events help them understand workforce demands and make informed career choices. Feedback from businesses also provides valuable input for the University to review and update its curricula in line with changing industry requirements.
The “Business Coffee” Programme, Themed “Trends and Business Development Opportunities in 2025,” Held at Hong Duc University, Provides a Platform for Dialogue and Networking Between the University and the Business Community
According to the University's data, 93.85% of graduates secure employment within one year of graduation, with 89.33% working in fields relevant to their academic specialisations. During the 2025–2026 academic year, all training programmes were reviewed and updated in accordance with regulations. These results reflect HDU's commitment to educational quality and graduate employability, while highlighting the importance of continuously adapting academic programmes to labour market developments.
For emerging technology sectors, closer coordination between education and workforce development is particularly important. In late September 2026, Hong Duc University participated in the 2026 School–Business Cooperation Forum, organised by the Ministry of Education and Training under the theme “Connecting Training Orders for High-Quality Human Resources in Emerging Technology Sectors”. The forum emphasised the need for substantive partnerships that deliver tangible outcomes in commissioned training, scientific research and technology transfer.
Leaders of Hong Duc University and AEON MALL Thanh Hoa Visit Recruitment Booths at the AEON MALL Thanh Hoa Job Fair 2026 in August 2026
Against this background, cooperation with businesses should go beyond providing internship placements and recruitment opportunities. It should involve businesses more regularly and substantively in the educational process. When workforce requirements are incorporated into curricula and training activities, students are better prepared for professional careers, while employers gain improved access to suitably qualified candidates. This also provides a foundation for expanding cooperation from education and recruitment to scientific research, innovation and technology transfer.
Building on existing activities in internships, recruitment and career development, Hong Duc University aims to deepen its partnerships with enterprises by integrating human resource training with scientific research, innovation and technology transfer. Within this strategic direction, the “State–University–Business” model is regarded as an approach to strengthening collaboration, mobilising resources and making effective use of the strengths of each stakeholder.
On 24 September 2026, at a conference bringing together Thanh Hoa provincial leaders and the province's intellectual community for consultation and dialogue, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Hoang Ba Huyen, President of Hong Duc University, presented a paper proposing practical solutions for implementing the “State–University–Business” cooperation model. His presentation identified key bottlenecks and proposed mechanisms for strengthening collaboration among the three stakeholders, linking human resource development with scientific research, innovation, technology transfer and technology commercialisation.
Under this model, the State plays a facilitating role by establishing an enabling policy and institutional environment and connecting available resources. The University contributes its strengths in education, research and specialist expertise, while businesses identify workforce needs, participate in training and provide environments in which research outcomes can be applied.
Hong Duc University Students Visit Son Ha Export Garment Factory, Operated by Tien Son Group Joint Stock Company, to Learn About Its Manufacturing Environment
Coordination among these three stakeholders aims to connect socio-economic development needs with the capabilities of higher education institutions and the resources of the business community. Businesses are therefore expected to play a broader role than simply hosting interns or recruiting graduates. They can contribute to identifying workforce requirements, providing input into curricula, collaborating in training, commissioning research and adopting technologies developed by the University.
In turn, the University can contribute not only qualified graduates but also specialist expertise, research capacity and scientific products to address challenges arising from production, business operations and everyday life. Such collaboration creates opportunities for higher education and enterprise to respond more effectively to practical needs while generating shared benefits for learners, employers and the wider community.
For Hong Duc University, the potential for business cooperation also extends to scientific research, innovation and technology transfer. The University is promoting the introduction and connection of research products and technologies with organisations and individuals interested in their adoption, transfer and commercialisation. This approach creates further opportunities to bring research outcomes into practical use while drawing on challenges from industry and society to inform future research and training priorities.
This direction is consistent with the broader call to renew cooperation between higher education institutions and enterprises. At the 2026 School–Business Cooperation Forum, participants highlighted that partnerships can remain overly focused on signing agreements, while commissioned training, research collaboration and technology transfer have yet to reach their full potential. The principle of “Co-investment – Shared Responsibility – Shared Benefits” underscores the need to move beyond formal commitments towards programmes with clearly defined objectives, responsibilities and measurable outcomes.
For the University, this requires cooperation agreements to be translated into practical initiatives that reflect both business needs and HDU's educational and research capabilities. The effectiveness of a partnership should not be measured solely by the number of programmes or agreements signed, but, more importantly, by the value it creates for students, businesses and the community.
Hong Duc University Lecturers and Students Visit a Stone Cladding and Tile Enterprise to Learn About Its Production and Business Operations
Sustainable cooperation takes shape when business needs inform education and research, students gain more opportunities for professional experience, and scientific findings are translated into practical applications. This is also a pathway for Hong Duc University to progressively realise its educational philosophy of “Comprehensive Development – Experiential Learning – Practical Application – Genuine Competence”, contributing to high-quality human resource development and the socio-economic advancement of Thanh Hoa Province.