Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife visit Bucharest University of Civil Engineering

Leaders of Bucharest University of Civil Engineering presented Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh with a copy of his previous academic achievements.

Also attending from Vietnam were the University of Transport; Hanoi University of Mining and Geology; Hanoi University of Civil Engineering; University of Water Resources; Saigon International University; Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

On the Romanian side, there are the National Polytechnic University of Bucharest; Polytechnic University of Cluj-Napoca; Polytechnic University of Iasi; Polytechnic University of Timisoara; Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism.

The Bucharest University of Civil Engineering was originally the “School of Land Surveying” founded in 1818 and the “School of Bridges, Roads and Mines” founded in 1867; it was merged into the Bucharest Institute of Civil Engineering in 1948; then renamed the Bucharest University of Civil Engineering in 1994 (Universitatea Tehnică de Construcţii din București, abbreviated as UTCB).

The school is a long-standing highereducation institution, specializing in civil engineering; it is the only university in Romania that focuses entirely on civil engineering education, with its strong training groups being civil engineering, environmental engineering, plant engineering, geodetic engineering and construction mechanical engineering. UTCB is a member of the Romanian Technical Universities Association (ARUT); according to the assessment of the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS), a member of the European Education Quality Assessment Network (ENQA), UTCB has been awarded the High Trust Rating.

Leaders of Bucharest University of Civil Engineering gave welcoming speech.

The University is a member of the Romanian Academic University Union (ARUT). The University currently has more than 8,600 students with 7 faculties (Civil, Industrial and Agricultural Construction; Hydraulics; Railway and Bridge Engineering; Engineering Services; Technical Equipment; Geodesy; International Training in the Field of Engineering); 22 departments and 18 research centers; with 4-year Bachelor of Engineering Science programs, postgraduate programs such as Master (2 years) and Doctorate (3 years).

During the period 1970-1980, the University trained about 1,000 international students for Vietnam; from 2008 to present, there have been 5 international students including 1 PhD, 4 bachelors under the scholarship agreement between the two governments. A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the University of Water Resources (Vietnam) - University of Liège (Belgium) - Bucharest University of Civil Engineering (Romania) on cooperation in research and teaching of civil engineering.

In his welcoming remarks, the leaders of the Bucharest University of Civil Engineering expressed their honor to welcome Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to visit UTCB; emphasizing that Mr. Pham Minh Chinh was an excellent student of the University and UTCB is very proud that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has brought honor to the University; Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's career has been demonstrated through his contributions to improving infrastructure, education, healthcare, promoting new energy, digital transformation for Vietnam... Importantly, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh always promotes the implementation of commitments to respond to global challenges, promote sustainable energy development for the community, for the sustainable development of our planet. UTCB leaders believe that the Prime Minister's official visit will strongly promote the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Romania.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks.

Speaking, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his joy and emotion to return to visit Bucharest University of Civil Engineering, one of Romania's leading universities and a beloved school that the Prime Minister has been attached to for many years, always cherishing and being proud of with unforgettable deep memories.

The Prime Minister expressed his deep gratitude to generations of teachers for their efforts and dedication, helping generations of students to be equipped with a solid knowledge foundation, contributing to the cause of building and developing society and the country. The Prime Minister also wanted to thank the friends who accompanied and supported him throughout his time studying here; expressed his appreciation and pride for this special connection; and was very happy to witness the strong development of the School, especially in terms of facilities, modern training models, focusing on creativity, innovative thinking, and solving practical problems.

The Prime Minister stated that Vietnam and Romania have enjoyed a traditional friendship and good cooperation in many fields for three-quarters of a century (since 1950), which has been diligently cultivated by leaders and has become increasingly deep, substantial and effective. Romania is one of the first 10 countries in the world to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam (February 3, 1950); one of the first countries to support Vietnam in the struggle for national liberation and help Vietnam build and develop its economy.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presents souvenirs to Bucharest University of Civil Engineering.

The Prime Minister informed that the beloved President Ho Chi Minh, the National Hero, the World Cultural Celebrity, paid an official visit to Romania from August 17 to 21, 1957 (on the occasion of his visit to a series of Socialist countries); and thanked Romania and the Central and Eastern European countries for their solidarity and support for Vietnam during the 9-year resistance war against French colonialism and its victory. The Prime Minister expressed his outstanding impression that Uncle Ho was warmly and sincerely welcomed by the Party, State and people of Romania. Former Romanian President Ion Iliesscu, then Secretary of the Central Committee of the Romanian Youth Union, accompanied Uncle Ho throughout the visit. Uncle Ho visited the Gerontology Institute, the Children's Palace, the "December 30" Collective Farm, the "August 23" Mechanical Factory, the Oil Refinery No. 1, the Museum, Peles Castle, the Tractor Factory, Obor Market, the Stadium, etc.; Invite your leader to dinner at Pescarus restaurant on the lakeside in Herastrau Park Bucharest (the restaurant is still operating today).

The Prime Minister emphasized that Romania enthusiastically supported Vietnam during the war: the strong anti-Vietnam War march and demonstration movement of Romania, of socialist countries, of progressive forces around the world contributed to Vietnam's historic victory. The Prime Minister highly appreciated the support and assistance in terms of facilities, technology, and human resource training for Vietnam; in which Romania helped Vietnam build the Hai Phong Cement Factory, Lao Cai Apatite Mine, and several coal mines in Quang Ninh; provided many industrial, agricultural, and defense equipment, etc.

After Romania changed its political regime (December 1989): the two countries continued their traditional friendly relations based on the principles of respect for independence, sovereignty, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality, and mutual benefit. The two sides regularly exchanged high-level delegations; especially when Romania held the role of rotating EU Presidency in 2019, it greatly supported and promoted Vietnam and the EU to complete negotiations and sign the EVFTA and EVIPA on June 30, 2019.

The Prime Minister emphasized that it can be affirmed that this is an important prerequisite to contribute to promoting economic, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and Romania in particular and the EU in general in recent times. Cooperation in the fields of economics, trade, investment, labor, science and technology, etc. is being strongly promoted by both sides. In particular, focusing on the potential of each side such as agricultural products, livestock vaccines, postal and telecommunications services, banking agency relations, etc.; especially cooperation in education and training, science and technology, and labor. Currently, there are about 4,000 Vietnamese workers working in Romania in the fields of mechanics, construction, carpentry, industrial sewing, food, etc. In particular, regarding cooperation in preventing the Covid-19 pandemic, Romania donated 300,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Vietnam in August 2021, right at the time when the epidemic in Vietnam broke out the strongest. Vietnam highly appreciates Romania being the first EU member country to support vaccines for Vietnam.

Vietnam will never forget the sincere support, assistance, and close cooperation of Romania over the past three-quarters of a decade. We hope that the two countries will continue to promote deeper, more substantive, and more effective cooperation, especially in areas where each other has potential and strengths (such as education and training, science and technology, economics, trade, investment, emerging industries and fields, etc.), for the development and benefit of the people of the two countries, contributing to peace and stability in the two regions and the world.

Regarding cooperation in the field of education and training, the Prime Minister affirmed that this is a highlight in the cooperation between the two countries: Romania is a country with strengths in education and training with many outstanding fields and sectors in both basic and applied sciences such as: mathematics, physics, chemistry, medicine, construction, architecture, health, oil and gas, chemicals, mechanics, geology, agriculture, veterinary medicine, languages, music, art, history...

During the period 1960-1989, Romania trained about 100-200 Vietnamese students annually. In 2003, the two sides signed an Educational Cooperation Agreement, implemented from the 2004-2005 school year. In 2023, the two sides signed a Cooperation Program in the field of education and training for the period 2022-2026. To date, Romania has trained about 4,000 Vietnamese students, many of whom have become leading scientists, professors, and doctors in various fields and many leaders of the Party and State.

On this occasion, the Prime Minister sincerely thanked and hoped that Romania would continue to pay attention and provide more scholarships to Vietnamese students. The Prime Minister hoped that UTCB would continue to promote its role as a leading educational institution in Romania in promoting cooperation in education and training, scientific and technological research, especially in areas where the University is strong, with educational institutions and related partners in Vietnam; contributing to further promoting the cooperative relationship between the two countries.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh writes in the guestbook at Bucharest University of Civil Engineering.

As an alumnus of the University, the Prime Minister would like to congratulate all students who have been, are and will be members of this University. Your passion and efforts will contribute to the development of the construction industry not only in Romania but also in the world. On the occasion of his official visit to Romania, the Prime Minister was very pleased to return to visit his old University. Regardless of his position, the Prime Minister is always proud to be a student of the Bucharest University of Civil Engineering, always wholeheartedly joining hands to foster the relationship between the two countries to develop more and more, towards the goal of peace, prosperity and sustainable development.

The Prime Minister affirmed that former Vietnamese students and overseas students always remember and appreciate the contributions of teachers, friends and people of Romania during their time studying here. Always proud to be students of UTCB, we together contribute to building the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Romania to blossom and bear fruit. For the Prime Minister, UTCB is a part of life; at the same time, we never forget the help of teachers and students. We hope and believe that the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries will become deeper, more substantial and more effective, as the Romanian proverb says "Orice sa fie nou, dar prierenul vechi - Everything may be new but old friends are friends", for the benefit of the two nations, of the two peoples, for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

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