Over three days, from April 24 to 26, 2025, a delegation from Leeds Beckett University (LBU-UK) held a series of regular meetings with National Economics University (NEU) to conduct periodic bilateral reviews and exchanges and advance cooperation on international joint programs.

Leaders of the two universities exchange gifts and pose for a commemorative photo.

Representing Leeds Beckett University (LBU-UK) at the meetings were Dr. Nick Halafihi, Director of International Partnerships and Head of Leadership, Governance and People Management; Dr. Dominic Ramsden, Head of Academic Quality Enhancement, Academic Quality Assurance Office; and MSc. Dam Anh Duc (Edward), Regional Manager for East and Southeast Asia, responsible for International Recruitment and Partnerships.

Representing NEU were Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong, President of NEU; Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu, Vice President of NEU; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Huy Thong, Dean of the Faculty of Marketing and Head of the Executive Board of the LBUinNEU International Joint Program in Digital Marketing; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Trung Thanh, Dean of the Institute of International Education; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Hoang Ngan, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Human Resource Management; Dr. Vu Van Ngoc, Dean of the Institute of Advanced, High-Quality and POHE Programs; Dr. Le Anh Duc, Head of the Department of Academic Affairs; Dr. Vu Trong Nghia, Head of the Department of Communications; Dr. Pham Sy Long, Deputy Head of the Department of International Cooperation; Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, Vice Dean of the Institute of Postgraduate Education; along with representatives of the leadership, lecturers, and administrative staff from several units of the University.

The delegation from Leeds Beckett University and leaders of the Faculty of Marketing exchange gifts and pose for a commemorative photo.

During the three days of meetings, representatives of the two universities discussed and conducted a periodic review of the international joint bachelor’s program in Digital Marketing, as well as options for developing cooperation in the coming period. The discussions were jointly led by the Faculty of Marketing and the Faculty of Economics and Human Resource Management, in coordination with the Institute of International Education, the Institute of Advanced, High-Quality and POHE Programs, and the Institute of Postgraduate Education.

Established in 1824, Leeds Beckett University is currently ranked among the world’s top 400–500 universities (Times Higher Education 2022) and has received a Silver award for teaching quality from the Teaching Excellent Framework.

The LBU-UK international joint bachelor’s program in Digital Marketing has been offered at NEU since 2022 under a model in which the Faculty of Marketing takes the lead and coordinates academic matters with LBU, while the Institute of International Education manages administration. LBU designed the academic program structure, materials, and learning resources to meet the accreditation standards of the UK university system; LBU-UK lecturers travel to NEU to deliver more than 85% of the content of specialized Digital Marketing courses in person. Students who complete the academic program receive an LBU-UK bachelor’s degree in Digital Marketing identical to that awarded to students taking the program at LBU-UK and are fully eligible to pursue further studies at the master’s and doctoral levels in Vietnam and abroad.

The entire academic program spans 3.5 academic years, providing bachelor’s-level knowledge and skills in Digital Marketing for future professional marketing managers. It meets international academic requirements and learning outcome standards while remaining highly applicable to Vietnam’s business environment as it undergoes extensive international integration. The program is now successfully recruiting its fourth intake, attracting interest and inquiries from a large number of applicants and parents.

As part of the meetings, representatives of the two universities also held in-depth discussions and conducted a periodic review of the international joint bachelor’s program in Digital Marketing, covering program delivery progress, academic quality, updates to learning materials, teaching methods, and quality assurance. Meetings with lecturers teaching in the program and students currently enrolled in it helped gather firsthand feedback to improve the learning experience and ensure teaching quality, and to consider adjustments to the study plan to better align it with the labor market context and learning needs in Vietnam.

Student support was also a focus of the LBU delegation’s visit to NEU. The two sides shared a vision of building a comprehensive student support ecosystem, ranging from academic advising, career guidance, and soft skills development to connections with internship opportunities in Vietnam and abroad. An NEU–LBU student network is taking shape to foster lasting connections between academic and professional communities.

In addition, representatives of the two universities devoted time to detailed discussions on the possibility of expanding cooperation through international joint master’s programs in Marketing and Human Resource Management. LBU lecturers will deliver the main teaching components of LBU’s master’s programs in person at NEU, complemented by discussions and case study support from NEU lecturers. All of these programs comply with the accreditation standards of the UK education system and are currently offered at LBU.

Beyond teaching activities, the two sides also affirmed that they would strengthen research cooperation and develop groundbreaking academic initiatives, such as applying Generative AI in teaching, designing integrated programs, and building a joint academic community between the two universities. They would also promote student and lecturer exchanges, cooperate on scientific research, and jointly organize academic events.

These regular meetings play an important role in strengthening a sustainable partnership and affirming the development strategy for the coming period to enhance the effectiveness of the sustainable, comprehensive model of international higher education cooperation between NEU and Leeds Beckett University, United Kingdom.

Additional photos from the meetings:

Article and photos: Faculty of Marketing and Department of Communications

This is an automated translation. If you notice any errors, please contact the Department of Communications, National Economics University at phongtruyenthong@neu.edu.vn.