Vinsers Alumni at Vietnam National University, Hanoi: From Learners to Knowledge Creators

At the age of 26, a Vinschool alumnus is pursuing a PhD at the UCL Institute of Education—one of the world’s leading centers for educational research—while also teaching and grading Master’s theses in international programs. Meanwhile, another Vinser, currently a second-year university student, has already published two new species in an international academic journal.

These are not isolated cases. At Vinschool, research is not considered an advanced option, but a core approach to learning. Students are trained to ask questions, test hypotheses, and develop academic thinking from an early stage. From this foundation, many Vinsers gradually transition from knowledge receivers to knowledge creators, actively engaging in academic and research activities both in Vietnam and internationally.

The journeys of Nguyễn Nhã Uyên and Đặng Quang Khải are two representative examples of this pathway.

From School Foundation to Independent Research Capacity

Nguyễn Nhã Uyên, a Vinschool Times City alumna, is currently a PhD candidate in Education at University College London – Institute of Education. Prior to this, she was the valedictorian of the high-quality English Teacher Education program at the University of Languages and International Studies, under Vietnam National University, Hanoi, and completed her Master’s in Education at UCL-IOE with the highly competitive GREAT Scholarship for international students.

At 26, Uyên focuses on research areas such as sustainable education, environmental education, English language teaching, and intercultural communication in school leadership. She is also involved in teaching and grading international Master’s theses in Human Rights and Education.

“Being heard, engaging in debates, asking questions, and actively participating in learning at Vinschool led me to reflect on issues such as rights, access to education, and each individual’s voice and role within schools. The critical thinking skills I developed—from inquiry and analysis to synthesis—have become the foundation that gives me the confidence to pursue research and teaching in an international academic environment,” Uyên shared.

Meanwhile, Đặng Quang Khải, a Vinschool Smart City alumnus and second-year student at the University of Science under Vietnam National University, Hanoi, has chosen to pursue taxonomic biology. His passion for research was nurtured early through biology camps, self-directed learning, and small-scale research projects during high school.

“Making use of foundational knowledge from Vinschool, combined with field experiences—from national park expeditions to collecting specimens in highland markets during school trips—has helped me build a systematic research approach. The mindset of ‘questioning – verifying – comparing’ has been key to developing my research path at university,” Khải explained.

When Research Becomes Academic and Social Contribution

What stands out in the journeys of these Vinsers is not only their academic achievements, but their active contributions to the scholarly community.

For Nguyễn Nhã Uyên, her research on human rights in education, equitable access, and teacher development has been presented at conferences and featured in academic publications, contributing to ongoing discussions in the field. She has traveled to over 30 countries and engaged with organizations such as the UNESCO’s ANGEL Network, ESERA, and BERA. Teaching at UCL marks a significant milestone in her academic journey.

In a different field, Đặng Quang Khải has published two new freshwater crab species in Zootaxa, a leading international journal in animal taxonomy. He currently has another study under review for publication in the Journal of Crustacean Biology, affiliated with the University of Oxford. These contributions add to global biodiversity data and support research in conservation and sustainable development.

From educational sciences to taxonomic biology, Nguyễn Nhã Uyên and Đặng Quang Khải represent a group of Vinsers who go beyond accessing knowledge to actively creating it. What defines them is not individual achievements, but their ability to turn academic questions into concrete research directions—and continue developing those directions in university and international environments. Their journeys reflect an educational approach where students are equipped with scientific thinking, inquiry skills, and an academic mindset from an early age.