(VNF) - The sixth Congress of the Japan Alumni of Vietnam (JAV) for the next three – year term (2016 – 2019) and the 15^th founding anniversary of JAV opened in Hanoi on December 18^th with the participation of Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Umeda Kunio.

At the sixth Congress and the 15^th founding anniversary of JAV at Vietnam National University, Hanoi on Dec. 18^th.

Addressing at a ceremony making the 15 years of the JAV, Ambassador Umeda Kunio affirmed that the embassy is willing to support Vietnamese students pursuing their study in his country.

Dr. Ngo Minh Thuy, Vice-principal of the University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University cum JAV President, highlighted the organisation’s development and operation over the last 15 years, saying that it has so far admitted over 1,500 members and closely connected with the alumni associations of Southeast Asian nations in Japan.

According to Dr. Thuy, the JAV have also arranged many exchange programmes, gatherings, workshops and exhibitions, contributing to promoting cultural exchange between the two countries, and helping Vietnamese young people get deeper insights into Japan’s culture and education.

Especially, at Study in Japan fair 2016 in Vietnam in October, representatives from the Japanese Embassy, Japan Student Services Organisation (JASSO) and Japanese universities provided participants with useful information on studying in Japan such as the scholarships system, support policies for foreign students, procedures to apply to Japanese schools and degree recognition.

JAV President, Dr. Ngo Minh Thuy spoke at the event.

Vietnamese alumni in Japan have made significant contributions to strengthening the friendship between the two countries, said Ambassador Umeda Kunio.

Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko are planning to make their first visit to Vietnam next spring, he said, adding that he hoped President Shinzo Abe would be the next Japanese leader paid visit to Vietnam and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc would visit Japan as well.

The JAV was established on May 19^th, 2001 with the official approval of the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association. The main aim of the JAV is to promote the understanding, cooperation and collaborations among the Vietnam's former students, researchers from Japan's Universities, Institutions, and between the JAV members with the Japanese Professors, Staffs and Organizations in Japan, Vietnam and ASEAN Countries.

After a long process of careful considerations and discussions, as well as many strong supports from all members of ASCOJA, the JAV has been accepted as a member of ASEAN Council of Japan Alumni (ASCOJA) at the ASCOJA Governors Meeting held in Tokyo on June 26^th, 2006. The Chairman of ASCOJA issued the ASCOJA member certificate for the JAV on October 3^rd, 2006.

There are many kinds of JAV activities with supports from the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam, the Vietnam-Japan Human Resources Cooperation Center (VJCC) and other organizations.

Through the club, dozens of Vietnamese junior pupils and students have joined short-term exchange programmes in Japan. Additionally, the club selected and sent postgraduates and young PhDs from Vietnam to pursue higher training courses in Japan under scholarship programmes funded by the Japanese Government and the Toshiba International Foundation.

Close to 39,000 Vietnamese students are studying in Japan in 2016, rising 47 percent compared to 2014 figure. Vietnamese students form the second largest community among over 200,000 international students from more than 170 countries studying in Japan, just after China.

Participants at the congress contributed opinions and adopted the review of the organisation’s operations during the previous term and orientations and tasks for the new term. 35 members were elected to the new Executive Committee./.

Minh Phuong