“Russian Language in Vietnam: Dialogue Between Cultures”: A journey promoting Vietnam–Russia educational cooperation
WVR - The project "Russian Language in Vietnam: Cultural Dialogue" was implemented by experts from the Moscow State Linguistic University (MSLU) with the support of the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo). The project ran from October 6 to 16, with activities organized in six cities across Vietnam, and concluded successfully.
Latest
 |
| Professor, Doctor of Philology, Project Director, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Educational Work of MSLU Innara Guseinova speaking at the opening ceremony. (Photo: Quang Son) |
Over the past ten days, a team of experts from the Moscow State Linguistic University traveled from North to South Vietnam, following the route Hanoi – Thai Nguyen – Hai Phong – Da Nang – Hue – Ho Chi Minh City, covering a total distance of over 1,860 km, with events held at eight locations and attended by more than 800 teachers, students, Russian language interpreters, and Russian linguists.
On October 6, the project commenced with an official opening ceremony at the Russian Science and Culture Centre in Hanoi. In his welcoming speech, Centre Director Vladimir Murashkin emphasised: “The project 'Russian Language in Vietnam: Dialogue Between Cultures' has become a cherished tradition and this year is being implemented at 8 locations across Vietnam. The Russian language helps connect the people of the two countries and opens up opportunities for young Vietnamese to receive full scholarships from the Russian Government to study at leading Russian universities, including MSLU.”
Professor, Doctor of Philology, Project Director, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Educational Work of MSLU Innara Guseinova highlighted: “Educational and cultural cooperation is the foundation of relations between the two countries. For our university, implementing this project in hospitable Vietnam is a great honour. The Russian language in Vietnam is a vibrant bridge connecting students, lecturers, and future professionals in all fields.”
She emphasised that during the official visit in May 2025, as well as the state visit to Russia in September 2026, General Secretary, President of Vietnam To Lam and Russian President Putin affirmed the special and trustworthy nature of the bilateral relationship. The frequent high-level dialogues between the two countries ensure substantial support for cooperation in the humanitarian field. The 2025 Joint Statement recorded an agreement to organize the Year of Science and Education 2026, opening up special opportunities for academic exchange, joint research in science, digital technology, and high-level human resource training. The Russian language here is the key to accessing Russian education and science.
The project aims to share experiences in teaching Russian, translation, linguistic research, and to strengthen connections within the professional community of Russian linguists, translators, and interpreters, meeting the demand for learning Russian, as well as enhancing understanding of Russia, its culture, science, and education in Vietnam.
 |
| A meeting between the MSLU delegation and the Board of Directors of Thai Nguyen Specialized High School on October 8, 2026. The Russian side was represented by Prof. Dr. Innara Guseynova, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Educational Work; the Vietnamese side included Principal Tran Van Hung and other teachers of the school. (Photo: Thai Nguyen Specialized High School) |
Prof. Dr. Innara Guseinova stressed that MSLU is implementing not only this pioneering educational project with Vietnam but also a comprehensive system of academic exchanges and partnerships between universities. In November 2025, MSLU organized the “Russian Language International Week in Asia” in Hanoi, a forum with advanced training courses for Russian language lecturers from Asian countries.
Program Coordinator, Professor, Doctor of Philology Olga Evtushenko, stated that the program is designed for three target groups: beginners learning Russian as a foreign language; students aiming for a career in teaching Russian as a foreign language; and university lecturers interested in enhancing their knowledge of Russian language, literature, and culture.
The focus is on thematic lectures and practical science-methodology workshops on teaching Russian as a foreign language and translation theory; current issues in Russian language, literature, and culture; open lessons on listening skills and visual poetry; the “Russian Express” language quiz competition, individual competitions for expressive reading, and multimedia exhibitions of educational materials.
 |
| MSLU lecturers and students of Tran Phu Specialized High School, Hai Phong, on October 9, 2026. (Photo: Hoang Hoa) |
Based on this, the delegation from the Moscow State Linguistic University (MSLU) and its Vietnamese partners, including leading high schools and universities in Vietnam, engaged in direct, diverse exchanges to meet the practical needs of Vietnamese schools.
Activities took place in an open dialogue format. Participants actively discussed, asked questions, and exchanged ideas, aligning with the core goal of the project to spark interest in learning Russian. A series of lectures and workshops were organized, focusing on pressing issues of the Russian language, literature, and culture, as well as methods of teaching Russian as a foreign language. University lecturers participated in advanced professional development programs. The organizing committee also held competitions for students, such as expressive reading and interactive quizzes. Through these activities, Vietnamese students learning Russian had the opportunity to showcase their writing, reading, and speaking skills in Russian, while also testing their knowledge of Russian culture.
In Hanoi, the delegation had meetings with traditional partners, the Russian Language Department at Hanoi University, and the University of Languages and International Studies, under Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
 |
| Russian students from MSLU interning at the University of Foreign Languages, University of Da Nang, supporting the delegation's program on October 12, 2026. (Photo: Hoang Hoa) |
In Thai Nguyen, the delegation held an exchange at Thai Nguyen Specialized High School. Currently, three graduates from Thai Nguyen Specialized High School are studying at MSLU. Both sides expressed a hope to promote cooperation between Thai Nguyen Specialized High School and the Preparatory School of the Moscow State Linguistic University, expanding the participation of Thai Nguyen students in the Eurasian Language Olympiad for international students, specifically in Russian as a foreign language, with a competition scheduled for mid-November this year.
In Hai Phong, for the first time, a large-scale Russian language project was organized at Tran Phu Specialized High School. Both sides expressed interest in cooperation in the field of Russian language, attracting students from Tran Phu Specialized High School to study at Russian universities, specifically MSLU – a leading centre for training interpreters and experts in the field of languages (40 languages) in Russia.
At the Institute of Foreign Languages, University of Da Nang, Russian students from MSLU interning at the University of Da Nang took on translation duties during the meeting and supported the program at the school.
In Hue, lecturers from the Moscow State Linguistic University delivered lectures at the Institute of Foreign Languages, University of Hue. For the first time, a large-scale international project on the Russian language reached the ancient capital.
 |
| Lecturers from the Moscow State Linguistic University and students from the Institute of Foreign Languages, University of Hue on October 13, 2026. (Photo: Hoang Hoa) |
At the final stop of the mission, lecturers from the Moscow State Linguistic University implemented the program at the Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities, under Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City.
 |
| A working session of the delegation at the Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities, under Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City on October 15, 2026. (Photo: Hoang Hoa) |
On October 16, the closing ceremony of the international science-education project “Russian Language in Vietnam: Dialogue Between Cultures” took place at Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, concluding the 1860 km journey of the project. In meetings with leaders of Vietnamese universities and high schools, both sides agreed to continue developing cooperation in the future, including student and faculty exchanges, organizing Russian language summer camps, implementing joint research, and facilitating Vietnamese students' participation in the International Eurasian Linguistics Olympiad for high school students. Vietnamese colleagues expressed great interest in advanced professional development courses and short-term internships in Russia.
 |
| “Russian Language in Vietnam: Dialogue Between Cultures”: Teachers and students were awarded certificates at at the Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities, under Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: Hoang Hoa) |
In an interview with the press, Professor, Doctor of Philology Olga Evtushenko, Project Coordinator emphasised: “We will do our utmost to foster dialogue between the peoples of the two countries, so that the next generation can easily build bridges that transcend all borders.”
