Nguyen Tat Thanh University welcomes Massey University delegation in landmark partnership meeting

NTTU – On the afternoon of Tuesday, March 24, 2026, Nguyen Tat Thanh University (NTTU) hosted a high-level delegation from Massey University, New Zealand, for a formal meeting focused on deepening cooperation and exploring new opportunities for collaboration between the two institutions.

Senior leaders and faculty representatives from both universities came together to discuss a clear and practical path forward for long-term partnership in teaching, research, and student development.

NTTU was represented by Vice Presidents Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Lan Phuong and Dr. Phan Thi Viet Nam, joined by faculty members from the Faculties of Applied Sciences and Technology, Business Administration, Foreign Languages, Information Technology, Nursing, and Psychology and Education, as well as the Department of Global Engagement. The Massey University delegation was led by Adjunct Professor Dr. Tere McGonagle-Daly, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Students and Global Engagement and University Registrar, and included representatives from the College of Sciences, Massey Business School, the College of Creative Arts, the College of Health, the Office of Global Engagement, Global Partnerships, International Pathways, and student services and alumni relations.

During the meeting, both partners held open and productive discussions on key areas of shared interest, including student exchange programmes, joint research projects, dual-degree pathways, and frameworks for broader academic cooperation. The meeting ended with a firm commitment from both institutions to move forward and formalise the next steps.

NTTU reaffirmed its strong commitment to this partnership. Vice President Dr. Phan Thi Viet Nam expressed that the University is ready to pursue a large-scale, long-term initiative with Massey University, with the potential establishment of an offshore campus standing as the most ambitious goal on the shared agenda.

This meeting marks an important step in NTTU’s internationalisation efforts and reflects both universities’ commitment to building meaningful, results-driven collaboration that benefits students, faculty, and academic communities in Vietnam and New Zealand alike.

Following the leadership meeting, Dr. Hagyun Kim and Prof. Mohan Jyoti Dutta hosted an interactive session on social work with NTTU students and faculty members. The session provided valuable insights into the landscape of social work, while offering both speakers’ scholarly perspectives on the development and challenges of social work practice across the globe.

Dr. Hagyun Kim, Senior Lecturer at Massey University’s School of Social Work within the College of Health, delivered an informative presentation introducing the field of social work and the academic programmes available at Massey University. Dr. Kim outlined the foundational principles of social work as a practice-based profession grounded in social justice, human rights, and the empowerment of individuals and communities — drawing on the internationally recognised definition set out by the International Federation of Social Workers.Dr. Kim also highlighted the breadth of career pathways available to social work graduates, spanning health and mental health services, child protection, community development, and policy leadership — underscoring the growing relevance of the profession in addressing social inequalities across the Asia-Pacific region, including Vietnam.

Prof. Mohan Jyoti Dutta delivered an engaging presentation on data storytelling and social change. Prof. Dutta explored how data is never neutral-examining the ways digital platforms extract value from communities in the Global South, how smart city technologies can perpetuate surveillance, and whose voices are systematically erased from dominant data narratives. The presentation offered NTTU students and faculty a thought-provoking lens through which to examine the intersection of technology, power, and community agency in the context of Vietnam and the wider Asia-Pacific region.