On the morning of September 5, 2026, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Engineering (HCM-UTE, formerly Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education) solemnly held the Opening Ceremony for the 2026-2027 academic year, joining the nationwide opening day of Vietnamese education and welcoming the 2026 cohort as they officially begin their studies at HCM-UTE.
Attending the ceremony were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Hieu Giang – Secretary of the Party Committee and President of the University; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chau Dinh Thanh and Dr. Quach Thanh Hai – Vice Presidents of the University; together with faculty, staff and students of HCM-UTE.
The 2026-2027 academic year carries special significance, as opening ceremonies were held simultaneously across the country in a shared celebration of Vietnamese education. At HCM-UTE, faculty, staff and students watched the live broadcast of the Opening Ceremony for the 2026-2027 academic year, organized by the Ministry of Education and Training and transmitted to educational institutions nationwide.

Following the national program, HCM-UTE held its own opening ceremony, at which the highlights of the 2025-2026 academic year were revisited in a year-in-review video. From teaching and learning to scientific research, innovation, competitions and student activities, the images portrayed a year of effort, achievement and progress by the University’s faculty and students.
Delivering the welcome address for the 2026-2027 academic year, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Hieu Giang – Secretary of the Party Committee and President of the University – extended greetings and shared messages with all faculty, staff and students of HCM-UTE. Looking back on the 2025-2026 academic year, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Hieu Giang affirmed that its achievements form the foundation for the University to continue developing on its new path under the name Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Engineering. Building on these results, the University will continue to promote a spirit of unity, innovation, creativity and responsibility, while expanding opportunities for learning, research, experience and connection for its students. Through this, HCM-UTE aims to build a modern educational environment in which every student can take ownership of knowledge and technology, develop their potential, and work with others to create lasting value for the University and for society.

A highlight of the ceremony was the recognition of the highest-scoring admitted student of 2026 and the presentation of admission scholarships to new students with outstanding results. The University holds this activity to acknowledge their academic achievements and to encourage these new students to keep developing their potential throughout their university years.
Nguyen Minh An, a first-year student in Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technology, was honored as the highest-scoring admitted student of 2026, with a total score of 29 in the high school graduation examination and an admission score of 29.3. The achievement reflects years of serious and persistent study and marks a memorable milestone as Nguyen Minh An officially becomes an HCM-UTE student.

Along with the highest-scoring admitted student, 26 new students who ranked first in their respective majors also received 2026 admission scholarships from the University. The scholarships are awarded to candidates whose total score in the three subjects of their admission combination in the 2026 high school graduation examination reaches 26 or above, excluding priority and bonus points. Under this policy, each scholarship serves both as recognition of the new students’ achievements and as a sign of the University’s support in the first steps of their university journey. The merit scholarships awarded in this round total VND 702.6 million.

Speaking on behalf of the 2026 cohort, Nguyen Minh An expressed greetings and gratitude to the University’s teachers and to family members, and shared the emotions of the first day as a member of HCM-UTE. For the new students of the 2026 cohort, the day marks not only the start of their university journey but also an opportunity to discover themselves and to study, research, create and mature in a new environment. Nguyen Minh An also expressed the determination to take initiative in learning, keep creating, live responsibly and, together with fellow students, leave meaningful marks during their years at HCM-UTE. The title of highest-scoring admitted student is a source of pride and, at the same time, the starting point of a long journey ahead – a journey of confidence, aspiration and determination to create lasting value.

The Opening Ceremony for the 2026-2027 academic year closed in an atmosphere of enthusiasm, marking the moment when the faculty and students of HCM-UTE began a new journey together. For the new students of the 2026 cohort, it is the first milestone on a path of exploring knowledge, gaining experience and growing at HCM-UTE.
Building on the values it has cultivated, the University enters the 2026-2027 academic year in a spirit of initiative, unity and innovation, remaining committed to its educational philosophy of “Humanity – Innovation – Integration” and to building a learner-centered educational environment that encourages creative thinking and active integration. Through this, HCM-UTE and its learning community will continue to reach new milestones in training, scientific research, innovation and development in the new academic year.
About the University’s Name Change: On December 26, 2025, the Prime Minister of Vietnam issued Decision No. 2809/QĐ-TTg, officially renaming Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education to Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Engineering (HCM-UTE). The new name reflects the University’s multidisciplinary development strategy, its strengths in technology and engineering, and its current institutional stature. Before 2007, the University was Vietnam’s leading institution for technical teacher education. Following changes to the national higher education program classification system in 2007, the University expanded its focus to technology, engineering, and related disciplines. The name change aligns with Vietnam’s Higher Education Network Development Plan for 2021-2030 with a vision toward 2050, addresses the demand for high-quality human resources in the digital transformation era, and reaffirms HCM-UTE’s role as a national key university in technology and engineering. |
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Text: HT – Photos: Gia Thien









