Bhubaneswar: A big scope exists for Indian and Vietnamese universities for collaboration and exchange of students-faculty, Dr. Madan Mohan Sethi, India’s Consul General in Vietnam, said on Thursday.
“Ho Chi Minh City itself is home to around 50 universities and an equal number of institutions of higher education and there is ample scope for signing MoUs with renowned universities of Vietnam for student-faculty exchange and research collaboration,” Dr. Sethi said while addressing a gathering of senior functionaries of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) here.
Though of the size of Rajasthan, Vietnam has great economic potential and its GDP would be three times of the Indian northern state, he said adding Vietnam’s booming hospitality industry attracts around 30 million foreign tourists annually which was far more than those who come to India.
India’s relationship with Vietnam is ancient and there are cultural links between the two countries. India, he said, had contributed towards creation of Vietnam as a nation and the former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had visited Hanoi in 1954.
Vietnam had progressed much in the field of agriculture, horticulture, pisciculture and food processing while its electronic industry was doing very well. About 70 per cent of the mobile phones coming to India were manufactured there, Dr. Sethi said.
Dr. Sethi also called on SOA’s Founder President Prof. (Dr.) Manojranjan Nayak and had exchange of views.
SOA’s Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Pradipta Kumar Nanda welcomed the Consul General and made a brief presentation about SOA Deemed to be University. Prof. Nachieketa K. Sharma, Director, University Outreach Programs, introduced the guest while Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students’ Welfare) proposed the vote of thanks. Prof. Manjula Das, Controller of Examination, Deans of different institutions and Directors attended the program.