First strategic partnership meeting with leading tech university

As part of programming.school's expansion into Vietnam, founder Sergey Shedov and the core team visited Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), one of Vietnam's premier institutions for technology and engineering education. This visit marked an important milestone in programming.school's launch strategy: establishing relationships with key academic institutions and understanding how Vietnam's future IT professionals are being trained.

The team was welcomed by faculty members of the Computer Science and Engineering department, who shared insights into their curriculum, teaching methods, and the challenges they face in preparing students for the rapidly evolving tech industry. For programming.school, this was an opportunity to explore collaboration and begin building the academic partnerships that will be crucial for success in Vietnam.

Inside Vietnam's leading tech campus

During the visit, HCMUT professors provided programming.school's team with an overview of the university's IT curriculum. Sergey Shedov and the team discussed with faculty how the university prepares students for careers in software development, data science, and other tech fields.

Key topics covered:

• Theory vs. practice balance — The faculty explained that while HCMUT maintains strong theoretical grounding in computer science fundamentals, they're actively working to integrate more practical, industry-relevant projects into coursework.
• Programming languages and tools — The university's syllabus includes Java, Python, C++, and JavaScript, along with modern frameworks. However, the speed at which industry adopts new technologies sometimes outpaces curriculum updates.
• Industry connections — This emerged as an area the university is actively strengthening, recognizing that employer connections are crucial for graduate success.

The university staff were candid about both strengths — particularly rigorous theoretical foundations — and areas they're working to enhance, especially around providing students with more hands-on industry experience.

What impressed us most was the faculty's openness about the challenges. They know the tech industry moves fast, and they're actively looking for ways to give students more practical experience. That's exactly where programming.school can add value.

Campus infrastructure

Programming.school's team toured HCMUT's technology labs and research centers, visiting computer labs equipped with modern workstations and seeing student projects ranging from robotics experiments to software applications. The infrastructure demonstrated HCMUT's commitment to providing students with real-world problem-solving opportunities.

What became clear was that Vietnam's top universities have solid technical foundations and motivated students. What's needed is stronger bridges between academic learning and industry practice — exactly the gap that programming.school aims to address.

Laying groundwork for collaboration

The visit wasn't just about gathering information — it was about establishing relationships. Sergey Shedov and the programming.school team introduced the school's mission to HCMUT faculty, sparking discussions about potential collaboration.

Several partnership possibilities emerged:

• Guest lectures and workshops — Programming.school could arrange presentations by international experts and industry practitioners, giving students exposure to real-world development practices.
• Internship programs — As programming.school establishes its presence in Vietnam, the school could facilitate internship opportunities for top HCMUT students.
• Curriculum collaboration — Programming.school's project-based approach could complement HCMUT's theoretical foundations through supplementary programs.
• Career transition support — Programming.school could offer bridging programs that help recent graduates develop practical skills and portfolio projects that employers seek.

What this means for programming.school in Vietnam

The visit to HCMUT provided programming.school with valuable insights that will shape the school's Vietnam strategy:

• Understanding the ecosystem — Programming.school now has a clearer picture of how Vietnam's higher education prepares IT professionals. The university's strong theoretical foundations mean programming.school can focus on practical, project-based skills that complement academic education.
• Partnership opportunities — The relationships established with HCMUT faculty create a foundation for future collaboration as programming.school develops its Vietnam programs.
• Building credibility — Partnering with Vietnam's leading universities gives programming.school credibility as it enters the market, signaling serious commitment to contributing to Vietnam's education ecosystem.

Sergey Shedov, Founder of programming.school

"We're not here to compete with universities. We're here to complement them. Universities provide essential theoretical foundations. Programming.school provides the practical bridge to industry. When we work together, students get the best of both worlds."

As programming.school continues its exploration phase in Vietnam, the insights and relationships from this HCMUT visit will inform every decision the school makes about program design and partnership strategy.

Next steps: Programming.school will continue meeting with universities, tech companies, and potential partners across Vietnam. Updates on new partnerships and program launches will be shared as they develop.

If your institution is interested in partnering with programming.school in Vietnam, reach out to learn more about collaboration opportunities.