There is a certain "family tradition" at the Polytechnic University.

In every home, there are things that aren't written down, aren't hung on the walls as slogans, but are preserved enduringly through the years. People call them family traditions. At the 70-year-old Hanoi University of Technology – the cradle of tens of thousands of engineers and scientists – there is also such a tradition.

1. At the Polytechnic University, there was a generation that put aside their books and pens to go to the battlefield. Many never returned. Many came back with wounds, with their youth left behind in the midst of bombs and bullets. That sacrifice was to protect the homeland and preserve a future where future generations could study in peace and continue their unfinished dreams.

These soldiers were formerly students and lecturers at Hanoi University of Technology. Photo: Duy Thanh

In peacetime, that spirit is continued by the people of the Polytechnic University in many forms. These include scientists who have dedicated their entire lives to laboratories and lecture halls, persistently researching and contributing. They include teachers who, over decades, have trained many talented individuals for the country. They include alumni who, despite being busy with billion-dollar businesses or working as humble civil servants/specialists, still cherish the school that marked their beautiful youth. Associate Professor Bui Long Bien, a former faculty member who has been associated with the Polytechnic University for over 40 years, now nearly 90 years old, has donated 1 billion VND to underprivileged students. The scholarship money donated by Professor Bien is the result of his savings accumulated over many years of teaching and scientific research.

Teacher Bui Long Bien encourages students to receive scholarships for the second semester of the 2025-2026 academic year. Photo: Khanh Duy

Professor Bien passionately shared: “My helping these students have better opportunities for their studies also demonstrates social responsibility. Those who came before create opportunities for those who come after. And then, following that example, the students also have a responsibility to future generations!” Not only teachers, but many successful alumni of the Polytechnic University also choose to return and support their juniors in various ways. Some establish scholarships, others fund laboratories, support research, and create internship and job opportunities for students. For example, the BK Fund, a creative startup investment fund launched in early 2021, was established by the Polytechnic University Alumni Network with founding investors who are outstanding alumni. BK Fund not only invests in early-stage technology startups but also acts as a mentor – providing professional advice, connecting with experts, and helping Polytechnic University students refine their business models and confidently enter the market while still in school. Even when natural disasters or epidemics strike, the students of the Polytechnic University do not stand idly by. During the 2020 floods in Central Vietnam, the Polytechnic University Alumni Golf Club donated 150 million VND to affected students. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the club provided 100 laptops to disadvantaged students. In 2024, an additional 20 scholarships worth 200 million VND were awarded to students overcoming difficulties…

The Polytechnic Alumni Golf Club awards scholarships to students in 2024.

There are so many more… It's impossible to list all the scholarships and acts of kindness from previous generations to the next at Hanoi University of Science and Technology. For those who have graduated, no matter where they are, they always carry their affection for their alma mater in their hearts. When they return, they support those who are beginning the path they once walked. Those who came before guide those who come after, generation after generation, like a powerful energy source keeping the flame of Hanoi University of Science and Technology burning brightly. 2. If the spirit of supporting the next generation creates the length of tradition, then gratitude creates the depth of the "family" of Hanoi University of Science and Technology. At C2 Square in Hanoi University of Technology, there is a monument that every student knows: the "Staff and Students Laying Down Their Pens to Defend the Fatherland" monument – ​​a memorial to the generations of students who put aside their studies to fight in the years 1970-1972. Every graduation season, when passing by the monument, one can see hundreds of neatly arranged bouquets of fresh flowers, stretching for several meters from the base of the monument and spilling onto the walkway. These are bouquets from the new graduates, masters, and engineers of the University of Technology as a token of gratitude to their predecessors.

The monument commemorates "Faculty and students putting aside their pens and books to defend the Fatherland" during graduation season. Photo: Duy Thanh

The tradition of laying and placing flowers as a token of gratitude also takes place on commemorative occasions such as the War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27), the founding day of the Vietnam People's Army (December 22), Vietnamese Teachers' Day (November 20), the opening ceremony, or the founding anniversary of the university. Students at Hanoi University of Science and Technology also never forget to show their respect and gratitude to the teachers who have dedicated themselves to the university. Every year on the anniversary of the founding of Hanoi University of Science and Technology (October 15), alumni from all over return to their alma mater. Today's successful engineers, scientists, and directors sit down with their elderly teachers, reminiscing about the past, inquiring about their health, and inspiring younger generations. Similarly, on Teachers' Day (November 20), generations of former faculty members are invited back to their alma mater. These conversations, handshakes, and greetings, seemingly simple, all carry a sense of connection and respect.

Former faculty members return to their alma mater on the occasion of the University's 68th anniversary. Photo: Duy Thanh

And sometimes, that appreciation manifests itself in the most ordinary moments. That's when Associate Professor Huynh Quyet Thang – Member of the 16th National Assembly , Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, and Director of Hanoi University of Science and Technology – despite his busy schedule, still managed to stop by the Bui Long Bien Teacher Scholarship Award Ceremony to respectfully express his gratitude to the teacher who has always shown special affection for the university. It wasn't part of his work schedule; it was simply a heartfelt gesture from a member of Hanoi University of Science and Technology to another member!

Associate Professor Huynh Quyet Thang (left) and Associate Professor Bui Long Bien. Photo: Khanh Duy

The tradition of "drinking water, remembering the source" has become a persistent undercurrent nurturing the spirit of the Polytechnic University – where gratitude and respect for teachers are preserved and spread through generations. No matter where they go or what they do, every Polytechnic student always looks back to their beloved alma mater with all their love and appreciation. Previous generations support subsequent generations. Those who come after do not forget those who came before. Thus, for nearly 70 years, this has become a way of life, an integral part of their being. That is the "family tradition" of the Polytechnic University!

Source: https://hust.edu.vn/vi/news/hoat-dong-chung/co-mot-nep-nha-bach-khoa-655891.html