EQUIPMENT HANDOVER CEREMONY
List of Participants
Project Management Board:
- Dr. Kambiz Ghawami, President of World University Service (WUS) Germany (Online).
- Ms. Sabine Kämpf, Director of the Hessen State Office of Technical Continuing Institution (HLFT) (Online).
- Mr. Uwe Graune, HLFT (Online).
- Mr. Thorsten Weinerth, HLFT (Present at VGU).
Vietnamese-German University (VGU):
- Dr. Ha Thuc Vien, Vice President
- Ms. Christina Wolff, Head of International Relations cum Deputy Head of Academic & Student Affairs.
- Mr. Christoff Hans Wiethoff, Head of Strategy & Quality Management.
- Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Tri, Library DiPrincipal.
- Ms. Lam Buu Kieu, Deputy Head of IT Department.
Colleges and Vocational Schools:
- Mr. Do Van Trang, Vice Principal, Binh Duong Medical College.
- Mr. Le Tran Vinh Phu, Vice Principal, Vietnam - Singapore Vocational College.
- Ms. Le Thi Thu Van, Principal, Binh Duong Trade Union Technical and Professional Vocational School.
- Mr. Nguyen Huy Hoang, Head of Software Technology Department, Thu Duc College of Technology.
- Mr. Nguyen Minh Ninh, Vice Principal, Binh Duong Economics Vocational School
- Ms. Phan Thi Le Thu, Vice Principal, Vien Dong College.
- Mr. Pham Duy Dong, Vice Principal, College of Machinery and Irrigation.
- Mr. Tran Thanh Tung, Vice Principal, District 12 Technical and Economic Vocational School.
- Ms. Vo Thi Khanh Van, Vice Principal, Ho Chi Minh City College of Economics.
- Ho Chi Minh City University of Technical Engineering
- Long An College
- Vietnamese-German University
Ho Chi Minh City, January 22, 2026 – The Vietnamese-German University (VGU), in collaboration with World University Service (WUS) Germany and the Hessen State Office of Technical Continuing Institution (HLFT), solemnly organized the Equipment Handover Ceremony for 12 vocational education institutions. This event marks a significant milestone in realizing the "Digital Classroom" model in Vietnam, with a total equipment investment exceeding 800 million VND.
Project Background
The "Digital Change Expert" (DCE) project, launched in 2023, is the result of a strategic partnership between the State of Hessen (Germany) and Vietnam. The project was established to address major challenges in modernizing the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system, specifically promoting digital transformation in vocational education aligned with local and national orientations. Following the completion of Phase 1, which trained nearly 30 leadership officials, the project has moved into Phase 2, focusing on practical application and technology transfer for 37 personnel from 12 vocational schools and colleges in Ho Chi Minh City.
Event Highlights
During the ceremony, the project officially handed over modern equipment packages to 12 educational institutions in Ho Chi Minh City. This is more than just material support; it is a vital bridge for these institutions to transition from theory to practice through the "Digital Classroom" model.
This model operates based on 05 core pillars following German standards, adapted to the local vocational education reality in Ho Chi Minh City:
- Organizational Development: Digitalizing school management processes.
- Personnel Development: Training core faculty members to master technology.
- Lesson Development: Building interactive digital learning resources.
- Technical Development: Applying modern technology infrastructure to teaching.
- Partnership Promotion: Connecting the network of vocational schools and enterprises.
Key Remarks
Representatives from VGU and German partners emphasized their commitment to continuing the journey with Vietnam in promoting digital transformation in education. They expressed their desire for the experts trained by the project to sustain and broaden the project's values within the community.
Dr. Kambiz Ghawami, Chảiman of WUS in Germany:
"Vietnam recently became the first country in Southeast Asia to pass comprehensive legislation regulating artificial intelligence. Starting in March 2026, it will create a clear legal framework for innovation and security. Vietnam is also making great steps forward in digitalization. All of this also affects education at vocational schools in Vietnam, and the Digital Change Expert Program is contributing to this. We at World University Service (WUS) are proud of this and congratulate the successful experts."
Dr. Ha Thuc Vien, Vice President of VGU:
" Overcoming initial barriers, the passionate support from Dr. Ghawami and our partners has been the driving force behind DCE's success. We deeply value this trust and believe that, with strong determination, our teachers will become pioneering experts in the digital era. This project does not only provide equipment; it opens opportunities to reshape professional benchmarks and supply a high-quality workforce for the future labor market."
At the ceremony, Ms. Sabine Kamf also sharing that The DCE program marks a vital milestone in developing a modern digital learning culture. As multipliers, you are the key to transferring digital expertise to your colleagues and students, helping us achieve our long-term goal of bridging the gap between academic institutions and the industry.
Future Vision
Following this ceremony, the project management board hopes that the 12 beneficiary institutions will become "Model Practice Centers." They will continue to refine Digital Manuals and expand Train-the-Trainer (ToT) programs within their units, eventually replicating this model across Vietnam’s entire vocational education system to provide a high-quality workforce for the digital labor market.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS
The DCE project is operated through close coordination between three main organizations:
- World University Service (WUS): The sponsoring and financial patronage body. WUS provides necessary budgetary resources and strategic consultancy for the entire project.
- Vietnamese-German University (VGU): The coordinating and implementing unit in Vietnam. VGU is responsible for administrative management, training infrastructure, communication campaigns, and partnering with German experts in market research to develop training programs. VGU serves as the primary hub for connecting and establishing partnerships with vocational institutions.
- HLFT Academy (Germany): The core professional body. HLFT is directly responsible for building the training framework, developing teaching content, and conducting training to ensure the transfer of digital transformation knowledge according to international standards.