Dr. Tong Thi Minh Phuong, Lecturer at Vietnam National University, Delivered a Public Lecture at Our University

At the invitation of the Rector of UNWE Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov Dr. Tong Thi Minh Phuong, lecturer at the National University of Vietnam, Hanoi, delivered a public lecture on Vietnam and Bulgaria: Bilateral Economic Relations and Opportunities. The event was hosted by the International Economics and Politics Faculty on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Vietnam.

Before the lecture Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov met with the Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam H. Mr. Do Hoang Long and representatives of the Embassy. In the meeting took part H. E. Mr. Raymund Furrer, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Swiss Confederation to Bulgaria, with his wife Mrs. Claude Furrer, and Mrs. Noni Bogananta, wife of the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Bulgaria.  

The focus of the talks was on the opportunities for developing the cooperation in the education and research. The Rector emphasized that the internationalization of education is a priority for the UNWE and the meeting is a natural continuation of the cooperation between the two countries in the field of education. “Our university has partnered with three Vietnamese universities - Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Hue University and Thai Nguyen University, so we will be happy to continue our cooperation with them as well as with other Vietnamese universities”, said the Rector. He expressed thankfulness to the Dean of the International Economics and Politics Faculty Assoc. Prof. Dr. Svetla Boneva for the excellent organization of the event.

Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov and H. E. Mr. Do Hoang Long /from the right to the left/

Н. Е. Mr. Do Hoang Long pointed out that since the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Vietnam 75 years ago, the cooperation between the two countries has been developing and there are many new opportunities to expand the partnership in the fields of economy, investment and governance, which will enhance the quality of the economies of the two countries.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hai, Commercial Counsellor at the Vietnamese Embassy, presented the opportunities for trade and investment.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Svetla Boneva emphasized that the UNWE, as the largest business university in Bulgaria and Southeast Europe, has numerous contacts with the largest companies in the business and can successfully assist in deepening the cooperation between the two countries in the field of exchange and investment, as well as in working together with the business on educational and scientific projects.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hai	Assoc. Prof. Dr. Svetla Boneva

The participants in the meeting also had the opportunity to watch a film presenting the economy, technological and scientific potential of Vietnam. You can watch the video here.

From the UNWE the meeting was attended by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Antonia Pencheva, Vice Dean for Research, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alexander Hristov, Vice Dean for Quality and International Cooperation of the International Economics and Politics Faculty, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Plamen Ralchev, Head of the International Relations Department, Ilian Chabukliisky, Chairman of the Student Council at UNWE.

After the meeting Assoc. Prof. Dr. Svetla Boneva opened the public lecture and introduced Dr. Tong Thi Minh Phuong to the students of the International Economics and Politics Faculty.

Dr. Tong Thi Minh Phuong

In her lecture Dr. Tong Thi Minh Phuong gave a retrospective of the cooperation between Bulgaria and Vietnam since the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries on 8 February 1950 until the present moment. She outlined that in the recent past 30 000 Vietnamese citizens have received their higher education or professional qualification in Bulgaria and many of them are business leaders or occupy high political positions in Vietnam which is a real factor for deepening the relations between the two countries. In her presentation she examined in details the economic relations between the countries and the opportunities for bilateral trade and investment.

The students who attended the public lecture had the opportunity to see an exhibition presenting Vietnam, organized by the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Dr. Tong Thi Minh Phuong is a lecturer at the Faculty of International Economics and Business, VNU University of Economics & Business.

She holds PhD degree in International Economics, Master's degree in International Law and Economics - Magna cum laude from the World Trade Institute, University of Bern, Switzerland /2015/ with a full scholarship from the Swiss government, and Master's degree in International Trade Law and Policy from the Foreign Trade University, Vietnam /2014/.

She has been guest lecturer at St. Climent Ohridsky University of Sofia, New Bulgaria University, and D. A. Tsenov Academy of Economics, Svishtov, Bulgaria.

Besides her teaching she also participates in training and scientific research programmes, thesis supervision and organization of national and international seminars, conferences together with other faculty members.

Dr. Tong Thi Minh Phuong has over 15 years of experience participating in domestic and international consulting projects, intergovernmental or non-profit organizations, law firms and international consulting on issues related to sustainable development, international trade and investment.