On March 20, 2025, Vietnam National University (VNU), Hanoi President Le Quan met with MGIMO Vice-Rector for Strategic Development Artem Malgin.

Attending the meeting were VNU Vice President Nguyen Hoang Hai, Director of the Cooperation and Development Department Le Tuan Anh, First Secretary of the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia Mai Nguyen Tuyet Hoa, and MGIMO Alumni Association Director Alexey Kryukov.

Artem Malgin noted that MGIMO has a long and solid history of cooperation with Vietnam. Over the past decades, the university has produced hundreds of diplomats, politicians, and economists for Vietnam. Many Vietnamese graduates of MGIMO have gone on to hold important positions in the government and international organizations. Every year, MGIMO organizes Vietnam Day, an important cultural and academic event designed to foster mutual understanding and friendship between Russian and Vietnamese students. The event not only promotes Vietnamese culture but also provides a platform for dialog and academic exchange between the two countries.

Artem Malgin remarked that MGIMO values its cooperation with Vietnam and is willing to strengthen ties with Vietnamese universities, particularly with VNU. MGIMO is also willing to partner with VNU in training highly qualified professionals across both existing and new training programs, such as international relations, regional studies, international law, world economy, international business and trade, international journalism and public relations, public governance, intercultural communication, environmental studies, economic informatics, digital transformation management, etc.

VNU President Le Quan added that as a leading university in Vietnam, VNU has always regarded cooperation with Russian universities and organizations as a key priority. To date, VNU has signed cooperation agreements with many major Russian universities on training highly qualified personnel, cooperation in scientific and technological research, and academic mobility.

Le Quan expressed hope that VNU and MGIMO would soon sign a cooperation agreement in the presence of the two countries' leaders, which would facilitate the strengthening of collaborative relations between the two universities specifically and the development of education, training, innovation, science, and technology between Vietnam and the Russian Federation as a whole.

Artem Malgin also invited VNU researchers and experts in environmental and climate issues to speak at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. In return, President Le Quan extended an invitation to MGIMO chiefs and researchers to take part in the International Conference on Vietnamese Studies organized by VNU. The two sides agreed that through meetings and exchanges, scholars can share their expertise, identify new developments, and expand research cooperation.

At the meeting, VNU President Le Quan and Vice-Rector Artem Malgin discussed future cooperation between the two universities in education, research, faculty, and student exchanges. The two universities have accordingly been working on university staff, faculty, and student exchanges to enhance training, research, and educational capacity and build stronger ties. The establishment of joint training programs in areas such as artificial intelligence, digital media, and digital business is one of the cooperation priorities for both universities. These programs will blend classroom instruction with online learning to foster educational innovation and expand learning opportunities. Additionally, the universities will develop and launch a joint Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) training program tailored for managers and executives from Vietnam and Russia. The two sides also discussed a plan to open an MGIMO branch at VNU.