The year 2026 marks the 53rd anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan (1973–2026) and more than two years since the two countries elevated their relationship to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World.”
In the field of education, Dong A University, one of the leading higher education institutions in Central Vietnam, has been actively expanding cooperation with Japanese partners through a model that closely integrates academic training with industry practice, internships, and international employment opportunities.
A reporter from Vietnam Education E-Magazine recently spoke with Mr. Luong Minh Sam, Chairman of the University Council of Dong A University, about the university’s more than 10-year journey of building a cooperation network with Japanese enterprises.

From Pilot Internship Programs to a Comprehensive Partnership Ecosystem with Japanese Enterprises
In an interview with Vietnam Education E-Magazine, Mr. Luong Minh Sam shared:
“As Vietnam–Japan relations continue to strengthen and deepen, particularly following the elevation of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Dong A University has positioned itself as one of the key bridges for training and supplying high-quality human resources between the two countries.
Our role extends beyond academic education. The university has developed a comprehensive cooperation ecosystem with Japanese partners, encompassing language training, professional knowledge development, skills enhancement, internship placements, employment opportunities, and long-term career development for students.
With Japan identified as a strategic market, Dong A University has implemented a wide range of programs that enable students to undertake internships and work at leading Japanese enterprises and corporations. At the same time, we actively promote cultural and academic exchange activities to strengthen students’ understanding, adaptability, and readiness to thrive in international environments.
Through these efforts, the university not only contributes to addressing Japan’s workforce demand but also creates sustainable career opportunities for Vietnamese students, thereby making a meaningful contribution to the growing bilateral partnership between the two countries in this new era of cooperation.”

Cooperation between Dong A University and Japanese partners began in 2015–2016 as part of the university’s broader internationalization strategy, under which Japan was identified as a key destination market for talent development and workforce placement.
During the early stages, the greatest challenge was building trust. Japanese companies place exceptionally high value on discipline, reliability, and long-term commitment, while the model of international training and workforce cooperation was still relatively new in Vietnam at the time. The university therefore had to gradually demonstrate its capabilities through the quality of its students, the consistency of its training programs, and its long-term commitment to supporting corporate partners.
From these initial pilot initiatives, cooperation steadily expanded in both scale and depth. What began with short-term internship programs gradually evolved into joint training initiatives, employer-sponsored workforce development programs, and collaborative partnerships among the university, businesses, and students.
The transition to a more stable and sustainable phase of cooperation was marked by several significant developments. Japanese enterprises began participating directly in the training process rather than simply recruiting graduates after completion of their studies. The network of partners expanded to include major corporations and business groups committed to long-term collaboration. Students were offered internship opportunities in Japan lasting from six months to one year, with pathways to transition to Engineer Visas or Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) Visas, allowing them to work in Japan for two to five years.
Most importantly, Dong A University established an integrated ecosystem that connects education, internships, employment, and long-term career development. These achievements demonstrate that the partnership has evolved beyond isolated cooperation projects into a sustainable and scalable ecosystem capable of continuous growth and self-sustaining operation over time.

Mr. Luong Minh Sam, Chairman of the University Council of Dong A University. Photo courtesy of Dong A University.

Building Long-Term Partnership Models with Japanese Enterprises
Providing further insights into the university’s collaboration models with Japanese partners, Mr. Luong Minh Sam noted that cooperation with Japanese enterprises at Dong A University has been developed with a long-term vision. Rather than focusing on individual programs, the university has established an integrated partnership framework that connects education, internships, employment, and career development.
Notable examples include industry-sponsored training programs, project-based classes, and tripartite partnership models involving the university, businesses, and students. Representative collaborations have been implemented with organizations such as the Aijinkai Social Medical Corporation, the Kameda Group, and Route Inn Japan.
Through these models, students gain early exposure to real-world working environments and receive training aligned with the competency standards required by specific employers. This approach shortens the transition period into the workplace and enhances graduates’ competitiveness in the Japanese labor market.
According to the Chairman of the University Council of Dong A University:
“Within the industry-sponsored training model, the greatest challenge is balancing the specific requirements of individual companies with the common learning outcomes expected of a university degree program. We have addressed this challenge by designing our curriculum using a two-layer structure.
The foundational layer ensures that students achieve common learning outcomes in terms of professional knowledge, core skills, and academic competencies in accordance with the university’s academic standards.
The specialized layer, or professional module, is developed flexibly based on the needs of individual companies or industry sectors. Enterprises participate directly in teaching, assessment, and practical training activities.
The university works closely with industry partners in curriculum development, program design, and evaluation while maintaining its primary responsibility for academic quality assurance and accreditation. This ensures that students are not only prepared for employment with a specific company but are also equipped to adapt to the broader labor market.
This approach effectively balances the standardization required in higher education with the customization demanded by industry, thereby enhancing the competitiveness and long-term career prospects of our graduates.”

Dong A University signs cooperation agreements on training and talent recruitment with Japanese partners. Photo courtesy of the University. 

Strengthening Connections with Japanese Enterprises and Diversifying International Cooperation Strategies
Regarding the process of preparing students for the Japanese labor market, Mr. Luong Minh Sam, Chairman of the University Council of Dong A University, pointed out that the university has identified several common bottlenecks, primarily related to students’ initial adaptation to working and living environments in Japan. In response, the university has implemented a series of systematic measures to address these challenges.
These initiatives include strengthening Japanese language training in collaboration with Japanese enterprises, with a particular focus on workplace communication skills; implementing programs that simulate Japanese working environments in Vietnam prior to departure, such as skill lab training; incorporating training on corporate culture, workplace discipline, and international living and working skills through exchange programs, seminars, and sharing sessions with Japanese companies; and maintaining support mechanisms for students after their arrival in Japan through corporate partners and alumni networks.
As a result of these efforts, the proportion of students who successfully adapt to and build long-term careers in Japan has increased significantly. These improvements have also enhanced the university’s reputation among international partners.
In developing programs geared toward the Japanese market, Dong A University focuses on cultivating three core competency areas simultaneously: professional expertise, foreign language proficiency (particularly Japanese), and cultural adaptability combined with professional work ethics.
The curriculum is designed with flexibility and is closely aligned with the practical needs of specific industries and employers across sectors such as nursing, engineering, services, and technology. Enterprises are not merely recruitment partners; they actively participate in curriculum development, competency assessment, and skills training. Consequently, students are not only qualified for employment but are also well-prepared to meet workplace expectations from the moment they enter the Japanese labor market.
One notable example is the university’s collaboration with the Aijinkai Social Medical Corporation. In addition to Japanese communication classes delivered by experts dispatched by the organization through both online and in-person formats, the university and its partner jointly provide a three-month pre-departure training program that combines professional instruction and workplace simulation. This enables students to adapt quickly to internships and employment in Japan while effectively utilizing their Japanese language skills

Nursing skills class with experts from Aijinkai Social Medical Corporation. Photo courtesy of the University. 

In addition to facilitating internship and employment opportunities for students in Japan, Dong A University has actively strengthened its efforts to attract Japanese enterprises to collaborate in recruitment, training activities, and events organized in Da Nang. Students who have completed internships or gained work experience in Japan also have opportunities to return and pursue careers with Japanese companies operating in Vietnam.
The university works closely with Japanese partners to organize a variety of activities, including business–student networking programs, the Vietnam–Japan Festival, and Japan Job Fairs. These initiatives provide companies with valuable opportunities to engage with and identify potential talent while students are still in the process of completing their studies.
Notably, the university’s alumni network of graduates who have studied and worked in Japan plays a vital role within this ecosystem. These alumni not only represent a highly qualified talent pool but also serve as trusted ambassadors, helping to enhance the university’s reputation and foster stronger two-way cooperation between industry and academia.
Speaking about future directions for collaboration with Japan, Mr. Luong Minh Sam stated that Dong A University plans to expand cooperation into sectors characterized by strong workforce demand and long-term sustainability, including healthcare, information technology, artificial intelligence, engineering, and digital transformation.
The university believes that Vietnamese students possess significant opportunities due to their adaptability, strong learning mindset, and demographic advantages as a young workforce, particularly as Japan continues to face challenges associated with population aging and labor shortages. However, these opportunities are accompanied by increasingly stringent expectations regarding workforce quality. Students must therefore possess not only strong professional expertise but also discipline, an international outlook, and the ability to work effectively in multicultural environments.
Alongside its focus on Japan, Dong A University is also implementing a strategy to diversify its international partnerships by expanding cooperation with countries and regions such as South Korea, China, United States, Germany, Taiwan, and Singapore. This strategy is intended to provide students with a broader range of options for study, internships, and career development in international environments.
The university’s key advantage lies in the strong foundation it has built through long-term corporate partnerships, practice-oriented education, and extensive experience in implementing international programs. Through this approach, Dong A University seeks not only to “bring students to the world” but also to “bring the world to the university,” thereby enhancing educational quality and advancing comprehensive, sustainable international integration.