Besides improving the quality of education, Nguyen Tat Thanh University (NTTU) is aiming to provide a learning environment that meets both domestic and international standards, with millions of dollars set to be channeled into three separate projects.
The Ho Chi Minh City-based NTTU is determined to achieve the top rank amongst research universities in Vietnam, and to gain regional recognition among Southeast Asian countries by 2020, with a conducive learning environment that promotes creativity and innovation.
To do this, NTTU has made a US$88 million investment in three projects at Saigon Hi-Tech Park (SHTP) in District 9, including the NTT Hi-Tech Development Center, NTT Hi-Tech Training Center, and Millennium Park.
SHTP is a quickly evolving science and engineering zone in suburban Ho Chi Minh City that includes R&D facilities and the manufacturing factories of large companies, corporations and startups.
State of the art
The NTT Hi-Tech Development Center covers 4.7 hectares of land at SHTP. Construction began in August 2015 with a budget of $48 million.
The property includes the Scientific Institute of Health, the Institute of Pharmacy Research, the Institute of Construction and Architecture, and the Institute of Environment and Biotechnology.
There is also the Institute of Computational Studies, the Institute of Society-Based Training, the Institute of Business-Student Relations, a database center and library, as well as several roof top gardens.
Upon completion, the Hi-Tech Development Center is meant to attract leading scientists and to devise applicable technological products, contributing to the scientific advancement of Vietnam.
The Hi-Tech Training Center, which has received $22 million in funding, is being established to cater for the training of over 3,000 students per year, incorporating immense lecture halls, classrooms, labs, libraries, canteens, and sports zones.
The center will also conform to international standards of technology education and other related areas.
Adopting a business-oriented approach, the Hi-Tech Training Center will help enhance the expertise and skills of technicians, specialists, and management officials.
The remaining funding will go to Millennium Park, whose construction began in 2015 and is expected to be completed this year.
The 23ha park includes a garden, a science park, a main square, a nature museum, and hi-tech agricultural greenhouses.
This pioneering community project is intended to connect SHTP and its neighboring residential areas, by disseminating scientific knowledge to locals and serving as a cultural and entertainment hub.
Five-star infrastructure
The three projects outlined above are in line with NTTU’s Education 4.0 approach. The university sets its sights on internationally standardized infrastructure, massive undergraduate education, empowering the workforce, and an active and practical learning environment.
From its beginning, NTTU has invested heavily in its facilities. According to QS-Stars (a UK-based rating system that provides rankings for universities around the globe), the school’s infrastructure earns five stars, solid proof of the university’s emphasis on its facilities.
Reports reveal that NTTU spends millions of dollars on investment and reinvestment every year. Currently the school has eight premises, costing more than $88 million and covering almost 100,000m² of ground.
NTTU has also just launched a new campus in An Phu Dong, District 12 on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City.
With $26 million in funding, the campus aims to accommodate the training of 15,000 students with equipment that meets global standards.