The next phases of BUV's 165-million-USD campus development plan are launched. (Photo: Courtesy of BUV)

On the occasion of the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United Kingdom, the British University Vietnam (BUV) held a ceremony on June 15 to introduce the expansion plan of its 165-million-USD campus, as part of a long-term investment strategy for Vietnamese education that aims to provide the young generation of Vietnam with the opportunity to access British higher education programmes in a world-class learning environment.

The ceremony took place at the Student Hub & Food Court, representing Phase 2A of BUV's campus expansion plan, completed and officially put into operation in the first quarter of 2023, with the participation of British Deputy Ambassador to Vietnam Marcus Winsley, Vice Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc, and other high-level representatives from the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training, the Office of the National Assembly, and Hung Yen province’s Department of Education and Training.

At the ceremony, Vice-Chancellor and President of BUV Prof. Dr. Raymond Gordon expressed his gratitude to governmental bodies, corporate partners, organisations and individuals for continuous support to BUV’s journey to the development of education in Vietnam. In particular, the investment in building facilities to meet the needs of learning, research and teaching is considered one of the key activities.

“This facility stands as a testament to BUV’s commitment to education in Vietnam and is indicative of the successful outcomes emanating from the bilateral relations between Vietnam and the United Kingdom. For half a century, our two nations have cultivated strong diplomatic ties and embarked on a journey of ongoing cooperation,” he said.

The campus, which is located in the Ecopark urban area, already has phase 1 and the first half of phase 2 completed, which includes learning theatres, a modern library with 24/7 classrooms, an academic building with administrative rooms, functional classrooms, a sports complex, and a Student Hub and Food Court. The second phase of development is scheduled to be finished in early 2025, with the entire campus completed in early 2028.

At BUV, along with academic knowledge, students are able to carry out project exercises and develop practical skills using modern equipment and technology. To do this, BUV focuses on developing a system of functioning classrooms for Game Design & Programming, Computer Science, and Tourism and Hospitality. Students are encouraged to actively participate in sharing knowledge and ideas, as well as in the discovery and enhancement of their learning and research capacities.

The classrooms for Computer Games Design and Programming are equipped with cutting-edge technology valued at up to 2 million USD, assuring the functionality and ease of use for students practising game production. In addition, the Motion Capture Studio has a lighting system, and a collection of cameras and devices that enable Chroma Key technology, serving as an "effective assistant" for students in the creation of creative and visual works.

Meanwhile, Tourism & Hospitality students have the opportunity to practice professional and business skills in functional learning rooms that imitate parts of a 5-star hotel, such as the Training Restaurant, Housekeeping Room, Learning Kitchen, and so on. The classroom, in particular, resembles the working environment of the reception department and is linked to hotel management software in order to optimise conventional learning techniques and online learning.

At BUV, many sections, such as Tea Corner and the outdoor fountain area, have been optimised to become event venues with capacities ranging from 100 to over 2,000 people. In particular, the Student Hub & Food Court building, which has a capacity of nearly 2,000 people and serves as an eating area and free living space for students, was completed and went into operation in 2023. The structure was designed to provide students with the experience of relaxing, eating, and chatting with friends after class, and it has a designated area equipped with a sound and lighting system, projection equipment, ready to host an indoor event.

Furthermore, BUV provides a gym, free yoga for students, and amenities such as an international standard football field, basketball and badminton courts to meet the demands of rest and relaxation after long hours of study.

Along with its educational mission, BUV is working to minimise CO2 emissions in all of its operations, with the goal of becoming one of Vietnam's first "carbon neutral" institutions. This is consistent with the core value of "Sustainability and Responsibility" that BUV strives to uphold. The BUV architectural space is meant to maximise natural light and ventilation while reducing energy use by 20%. BUV staff and students are encouraged to use buses to travel to campus instead of personal automobiles to reduce emissions to the environment.

Professor Raymond shares the vision for the campus as “a testament to the University’s provision of a world-class educational environment that facilitates discovery-based pedagogy, collaborative problem-solving, and cross-cultural understanding. It represents a space where students from diverse backgrounds can come together, to both create and exchange ideas. It illustrates how at BUV the acquisition and creation of knowledge is not confined to classrooms, but rather, extends to every corner of this campus.”

Over the years, BUV has been recognised as a successful educational collaboration model between the Vietnamese and UK governments. BUV received a 5-star recognition from the QS organisation (Quacquarelli Symonds) and accreditation from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), demonstrating its steadfast dedication to its goal.