With the goal of enhancing international cooperation in education, scientific research, and the development of high-quality human resources across the region, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Enginểing (HCM-UTE, formerly Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Svay Rieng University (SRU), Cambodia on July 7, 2026. The signing marks an important milestone, opening up comprehensive collaboration opportunities between the two institutions while contributing to stronger ties within the ASEAN higher education network.
Attending the signing ceremony on behalf of HCM-UTE were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chau Dinh Thanh, Vice President; Mr. Pham Bach Duong, Director of the Office of International Affairs; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Truong Nguyen Luan Vu, Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Khac Hieu, Acting Vice Dean of the Faculty of Economics; M.A. Dinh Thi Thanh Hang, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages; and Dr. Huynh Trong Luan, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages.
Representing Svay Rieng University were Dr. Som Ratana, Chairman of the University Council; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tum Saravuth, President of SRU; together with representatives from the university's faculties and the Office of International Relations.
Representatives of HCM-UTE and Svay Rieng University at the MOU signing ceremony
Recognizing their shared vision of internationalizing higher education and delivering practice-oriented education, the two universities agreed to establish a long-term partnership based on equality, mutual development, and shared benefits. Under the MOU, HCM-UTE and SRU will collaborate in a wide range of areas, including scientific research, faculty, student, and administrative staff exchanges, capacity building, academic activities, and programs designed to foster mutual understanding and strengthen institutional ties.
In particular, under the Higher Education Improvement Project (HEIP), HCM-UTE will support Svay Rieng University in enhancing faculty capacity, developing its English Language curriculum in accordance with AUN-QA standards, organizing professional development programs, and expanding academic exchange and cultural interaction opportunities for faculty members and students from both universities. These initiatives are expected to serve as a solid foundation for improving educational quality, advancing international accreditation, and strengthening SRU's integration into the regional higher education system.
Representatives of HCM-UTE and Svay Rieng University signing the Memorandum of Understanding
Speaking at the ceremony, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chau Dinh Thanh, Vice President of HCM-UTE, emphasized that Cambodia is one of Vietnam's neighboring countries with significant potential for cooperation in education and human resource development. He expressed his expectation that the MOU would provide a strong foundation for implementing practical collaborative initiatives in education, research, faculty and student mobility, and university governance, thereby enhancing educational quality and promoting the sustainable development of both institutions.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chau Dinh Thanh, Vice President of HCM-UTE, delivering his remarks at the signing ceremony
Representing Svay Rieng University, Dr. Som Ratana, Chairman of the University Council, highly praised HCM-UTE's academic reputation and strengths in education and research. He expressed confidence that, with HCM-UTE's support, SRU would further strengthen its faculty capacity, develop internationally benchmarked academic programs, and create broader learning and research opportunities for its students, ultimately contributing to Cambodia's growing demand for highly qualified human resources in the era of global integration.
Dr. Som Ratana, Chairman of the University Council of Svay Rieng University, speaking at the ceremony
The signing ceremony not only marks the beginning of a new partnership between HCM-UTE and Svay Rieng University but also reaffirms HCM-UTE's strategy of expanding its international partnership network throughout Southeast Asia. Through the implementation of concrete collaborative programs in the coming years, faculty members and students from both universities will gain greater opportunities for learning, research, academic exchange, and professional development in an international educational environment.
About Svay Rieng University
Svay Rieng University (SRU) is located in Svay Rieng Province, southeastern Cambodia, adjacent to Vietnam's Tay Ninh Province via the Moc Bai–Bavet International Border Gate. Owing to its strategic location along the economic corridor connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh, SRU serves as one of the key higher education institutions in the Vietnam–Cambodia border region.
The university offers programs in economics, engineering, foreign languages, social sciences, and management while actively expanding international partnerships to enhance educational quality and develop a highly skilled workforce to support Cambodia's integration into the global economy. Its strategic geographic location and commitment to internationalization provide a strong foundation for sustainable cooperation with HCM-UTE, contributing to stronger educational connectivity and high-quality human resource development across the Mekong sub-region and the ASEAN community.
About the University's Name Change
On December 26, 2025, the Prime Minister of Vietnam issued Decision No. 2809/QĐ-TTg, officially renaming Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education to Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Engineering (HCM-UTE). The new name reflects the university's multidisciplinary development strategy, its strengths in technology and engineering, and its current institutional stature.
Before 2007, the university was Vietnam's leading institution for technical teacher education. Following changes to the national higher education program classification system in 2007, the university expanded its focus to technology, engineering, and related disciplines. The name change aligns with Vietnam's Higher Education Network Development Plan for 2021–2030 with a vision toward 2050, addresses the demand for high-quality human resources in the digital transformation era, and reaffirms HCM-UTE's role as a national key university in technology and engineering.