The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K) and Vietnam National University (VNU) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen academic and research collaboration across cutting-edge fields, marking a significant step in India-Vietnam educational ties.

The partnership will focus on high-impact areas including artificial intelligence (AI) for medical diagnostics and hospital systems tailored to Vietnam, AI-driven language learning and education tools, infrastructure defect detection, smart city development, material innovation with advanced carbon-carbon applications, and drone technology for both rescue missions and agricultural productivity.

A delegation from VNU — comprising Vice Rector Dr. Nguyen Thu Huong, Prof. Nguyen Dinh Duc, Dean of Civil Engineering, and Dr. Tran Quoc Quan, Lecturer in Civil Engineering — visited IIT Kanpur to explore opportunities for joint work and knowledge sharing.

Highlighting the significance of the agreement, IIT Kanpur Director Prof. Manindra Agrawal said, “IIT Kanpur has a strong ongoing research activity in environmental engineering, sustainable energy, smart city development, AI, and drone technology. I hope this collaboration with VNU will enhance capacity building and help tackle pressing challenges faced by both India and Vietnam.”

Echoing the sentiment, Prof. Nguyen Dinh Duc of VNU noted, “Our visit to IIT Kanpur has been extremely fruitful. We have witnessed some of the excellent research facilities here. IIT Kanpur’s expertise aligns with many critical areas of research at our institution, and I look forward to strong collaborations on both academic and research fronts.”

Meanwhile, IIT Kanpur has also admitted five students into its BTech and BS programmes for the 2025–26 academic year through the Olympiad route — bypassing the highly competitive JEE Advanced. All five chose the Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) department, despite seats being available in Mathematics and Statistics, Economic Sciences, Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, and Chemistry.

The MoU signals a forward-looking partnership aimed at not only fostering innovation but also building solutions for some of the most urgent challenges in healthcare, infrastructure, and sustainability in Asia.