Columbia's PopFam and Vin University Sign MOU to Deepen Research and Academic Exchange in Vietnam
The Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health (PopFam) at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with VinUniversity (VinUni) College of Health Sciences, Vietnam’s first private, not-for-profit university, based in Hanoi. Signed on July 15, the agreement expands collaboration in research, training, and student and academic exchange between the two institutions.
The MOU was signed by Dr. Thoai Ngo, Professor and Chair of PopFam, and Dr. Michelle Hermiston, Dean of the College of Health Sciences at VinUni. It reflects a shared commitment to educate the next generation of leaders, generate evidence, and shape policies that improve health and development outcomes in Vietnam and across Southeast Asia.
Home to more than 100 million people, Vietnam is experiencing rapid economic growth alongside major demographic, social, environmental, and technological change. Its large youth population, rapidly aging society, and growing research and innovation capacity make the country an important setting for developing solutions with relevance across Asia and beyond.
“Vietnam is undergoing one of the most dynamic transformations in the region, with extraordinary talent and growing capacity for research and innovation. Our partnership with VinUniversity brings together our complementary strengths to develop solutions that can improve population health in Vietnam and inform approaches across Asia and around the world,” said Dr. Ngo.
“Partnering with Columbia PopFam reflects VinUniversity's commitment to building world-class research and education through global collaboration. We look forward to creating new opportunities for our faculty and students while advancing innovative solutions to improve population health in Vietnam and beyond,” said Dr. Hermiston.
The partnership also creates opportunities to address the growing health impacts of climate change. “This collaboration brings together Columbia’s global expertise and Vietnam’s local knowledge to better understand and address the impacts of climate change, while elevating solutions already emerging from Vietnamese communities,” said Dr. Linh Phuong Bui, Assistant Professor, College of Health Sciences, VinUni.
The agreement builds on collaborations already underway between PopFam and VinUni, including How We Adapt initiative and MotaAIR project, and creates new opportunities for joint research and faculty and student exchange. For PopFam, the partnership extends more than 50 years of working alongside universities, governments, and communities around the world to address pressing population health challenges.