Over 100 years ago, when the French established the University of Indochina in Vietnam in 1906, the university was reopened in the 1917–1918 academic year under Governor-General Albert Sarraut. At that time, the University of Indochina had six member schools, one of which was the School of Civil Engineering.
Civil Engineering is a broad discipline, encompassing construction, transportation, bridges, roads, infrastructure development, urban planning, architecture, and more. Representative examples include: Nhật Tân Bridge – the largest modern cable-stayed bridge in Vietnam; Bãi Cháy Bridge; Đình Vũ Bridge – Cát Hải (also known as Tân Vũ Bridge – Lạch Huyện) – the longest sea-crossing bridge in Vietnam and the second longest in Southeast Asia (after the Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Bridge in Brunei); the Dragon Bridge in Đà Nẵng; Nội Bài International Airport, Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport, and Long Thành International Airport (under construction); Lạch Huyện International Port in Hải Phòng and Cái Mép Port –Thị Vải; Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line No. 1 – Vietnam’s first metro line (Bến Thành – Suối Tiên); Landmark 81 (HCMC) – the tallest building in Vietnam and among the top 20 tallest worldwide; Bitexco Financial Tower (HCMC) – with its unique lotus-bud-inspired design; and Landmark Tower – the tallest building in Hanoi. These are all iconic, monumental projects of great importance, serving as symbols of national pride in the construction and transportation sectors.
It can be affirmed that no matter how far the Fourth Industrial Revolution advances – even if humankind travels to the Moon or to the deepest parts of the ocean, or creates humanoid robots with super artificial intelligence – the field of Civil Engineering will always remain essential to the development of every nation, especially in a rapidly developing and urbanizing country like Vietnam. This is why almost all major universities worldwide (such as the University of Tokyo, University of Melbourne, etc.), also Vietnam National University offer Civil Engineering programs.
The Faculty of Civil Engineering at University of Engineering and Technology (UET) was established through the dedication and initiative of Prof. Dr. Sc. Nguyen Dinh Duc.
Its predecessor was the Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Structures under the Faculty of Engineering Mechanics and Automation, founded by Prof. Dr. Sc. Nguyen Dinh Duc in 2015 (Decision No. 579/QĐ-TCCB, dated August 12, 2015, by the Rector of the University of Engineering and Technology). This was one of the leading laboratories in Vietnam to specialize in advanced materials and structures and modern mechanics. It became home to many talented young scientists with numerous high-impact ISI Q1/Q2 publications.
In 2017, building on the strong foundation of the Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Structures, Prof. Dr. Sc. Nguyen Dinh Duc established the academic program in Civil Engineering. The program was first approved and began enrollment under Decision No. 731/QĐ-ĐHQGHN, dated March 7, 2017, by the President of Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU).
In 2018, the Department of Civil Engineering was established under Decision No. 252/QĐ-TCCB, dated March 28, 2018, by the Rector of the University of Engineering and Technology. Administratively equivalent to a faculty, it continued to grow strongly in both scale and quality of education and research.
In 2022, Prof. Nguyen Dinh Duc further developed the curriculum, enabling the department to launch Master’s and Doctoral programs in Civil Engineering. This milestone marked a significant advancement in quality and academic prestige, paving the way for the department to be upgraded to the Faculty of Civil Engineering under Decision No. 1204/QĐ-TCCB, dated December 2, 2022, by the Rector of the University of Engineering and Technology.
Responding to the needs of modern society, Prof. Nguyen Dinh Duc subsequently initiated the Industrial and Graphic Design program within the Faculty, officially enrolling students from 2024. The program offers three specialized tracks:
- Industrial Design
- Graphic Design
- Interior Design
Unlike similar programs in the field of Fine Arts at other universit in Vietnam, this is a technical-oriented, modern interdisciplinary program built upon the strengths of the University of Engineering and Technology. It integrates Information Technology and Engineering foundations with aesthetic design thinking, enabling students to develop creative design skills, problem-solving abilities, and technological application capabilities in design environments.
Currently, the Faculty admits around 420 students per year across two programs:
- Civil Engineering (Engineer’s degree, enrollment since 2017)
- Industrial and Graphic Design (Bachelor’s degree, enrollment since 2024)
The mission of the Faculty is to train high-quality human resources with research capabilities and the ability to apply modern technologies, meeting international standards in civil engineering, transportation infrastructure, industrial design, smart cities, and special structures. It aims to become one of the leading educational and research institutions in this field in Vietnam and the region.
1. Organizational Structure
The Faculty is comprised of professors, associate professors, and doctors who are highly qualified, dedicated and possess strong research capabilities. They were professionally trained both domestically and internationally in countries such as Japan, South Korea, Russia, France, China, Ireland, and Australia.
Faculty Leadership:
- Dean – Founder of the Faculty: Prof. Dr. Sc. Nguyen Dinh Duc
Assistant Deans:
- Training Affairs: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Hải Đăng
- Scientific Research and Development Cooperation: Dr. Trần Quốc Quân
- Student Affairs: Dr. Phạm Đình Nguyện
Full-time Faculty Lecturers:
Prof. Dr. Sc. Nguyễn Đình Đức, Dr. Trần Quốc Quân, Dr. Vũ Thị Thùy Anh, Dr. Dương Tuấn Mạnh, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Hải Đăng, Dr. Nguyễn Văn Hùng, Dr. Nguyễn Văn Bắc, Dr. Lê Thị Thùy Dương, Dr. Vũ Văn Huy, Dr. Lê Văn Tuân, Dr. Phạm Hoàng Vân, Dr. Nguyễn Văn Yên, Dr. Vũ Đình Quang, Dr. Phạm Đình Nguyện.
Full-time Doctoral Candidates & Prospective Faculty Lecturers:
MSc. PhD Candidate Vũ Minh Anh, MSc. PhD Candidate Ngô Đình Đạt, MSc. PhD Candidate Đỗ Thị Thu Hà, MSc. Trần Tuấn Linh, MSc. Dương Thị Tuyết Nhung, Engineer PhD Candidate Nguyễn Đình Khoa (graduated as valedictorian, K61H, 2022), Engineer Vũ Đức Thắng (graduated as valedictorian, K64H, 2024), Engineer Nguyễn Văn Duy (graduated as valedictorian, K65H, 2025), Engineer Phạm Hồng Ngọc (graduated as valedictorian, K65 CE, 2025).
Adjunct and Visiting Lecturers:
From various universities in Hanoi, including: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Hữu Huế (Thuyloi University), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Quang Minh, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phạm Hoàng Anh, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Thị Thanh Mai (Hanoi University of Civil Engineering), Assoc. Prof. Đào Như Mai (Institute of Mechanics), Dr. Nguyễn Tiến Dũng and Dr. Nguyễn Ngọc Vinh (Vietnam–Japan University), Dr. Nguyễn Ngọc Thắng, Dr. Phạm Nguyễn Hoàng, and Dr. Nguyễn Thị Thanh Thúy (Thuyloi University), Dr. Nguyễn Đắc Đức and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phạm Văn Phê (University of Transport and Communications), Dr. Bùi Thị Thanh Hoa and Dr. Đào Mạnh Đạt (VNU, School of Interdisciplinary Studies), Dr. Phan Việt Toàn (Hanoi University of Science and Technology), Dr. Phạm Hồng Công (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology), Dr. Phan Quốc Nguyên (VNU School of Law), Dr. Nguyễn Văn Huy (VNU).
Administrative Staff:
- Faculty Office: Ms. Nguyễn Thị Kim Thoa
- Address: Room 408, Building E5, 144 Xuân Thủy, Cầu Giấy, Hanoi
- Phone: (024) 32272837
- Faculty Website: http://fce.uet.vnu.edu.vn/
- Laboratory Website: http://amslab.uet.vnu.edu.vn
Affiliated Units:
- Department of Civil Engineering, in charge of Dr. Nguyễn Văn Hùng
- Department of Design and Planning, in charge of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Hải Đăng
- Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Structures, in charge of Dr. Trần Quốc Quân
2. Academic Programs
The Faculty offers education at all three levels: undergraduate (engineer’s and bachelor’s degrees), master’s and doctoral programs. Its curricula are designed to integrate theory, practice, technology, and innovation.
Undergraduate Programs:
- Civil Engineering
- Industrial and Graphic Design
Graduate Programs:
- Master of Civil Engineering
- Doctor of Civil Engineering
The programs are modeled after those of leading global universities, with a solid scientific foundation and updated modern research and application trends such as BIM, advanced materials and structures, special load-bearing structures, and applications of AI and digital technology in design and civil engineering.
3. Scientific and Technological Activities
The Faculty has outstanding strengths in engineering mechanics, advanced materials and structures, numerical simulation, and applications of artificial intelligence in engineering, construction, energy, and smart cities.
In recent years, the Faculty’s staff have undertaken:
- 2 National-level projects
- 1 International Cooperation project
- 9 Nafosted projects
- 12 VNU-level projects
- Numerous institutional-level projects
Key research areas include:
- Advanced materials and structures: Three-phase composites, nanocomposites, functionally graded materials (FGM), CNTRC, auxetic materials, etc.
- Numerical simulation and computational mechanics: Application of Green’s functions, FEM, BEM, LBM in mechanics.
- Non-destructive mechanics: Ultrasonics and wave propagation for defect detection in materials.
- Renewable energy: Structural analysis for wind energy and materials for solar energy systems.
- Artificial intelligence: AI in structural optimization, engineering simulation, and smart cities.
- Application of BIM, ETABS, SAFE, Plaxis, MIDAS Civil, etc., in civil Engineering and transportation.
The Faculty has a strong research group recognized by VNU, and regularly organizes workshops and seminars with the participation of international professors from the USA, Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, etc.
It is one of the strongest units in terms of international publications within the University of Engineering and Technology and VNU as a whole. Under the strategic leadership of Prof. Dr. Sc. Nguyen Dinh Duc – one of Vietnam’s leading scientists with significant international influence – has produced over 400 scientific publications, including 250 in ISI/Scopus journals, many in the global top 1% by citation. Prof. Duc has been continuously ranked among the world’s top 10,000 most influential scientists by PLoS Biology (USA) from 2019 to the present (http://uet.vnu.edu.vn/~ducnd/).
Moreover, Prof. Dr. Sc. Nguyen Dinh Duc has been awarded numerous prestigious prizes and titles, notably the Third-class Labor Order (2016) and the Second-class Labor Order (2022), multiple Certificates of Merit from the Ministry of Education and Training (2019, 2021, 2022, 2024), the title of “Outstanding Teacher” (2022), along with various commendations from Vietnam National University, Hanoi. In particular, in 2024, he received the Bảo Sơn Prize in the field of Engineering and Technology for a cluster of research projects on advanced three-phase composite materials, which hold significant value for science, industry, and national defense.
In addition, Dr. Trần Quốc Quân, a faculty member and a former PhD student of Prof. Nguyen Dinh Duc, has published 42 ISI-indexed papers (all conducted in Vietnam, h-index 29), received the Nguyễn Văn Đạo Award for Young Talents in Mechanics (2016), and was named in Forbes Vietnam’s “30 Under 30” in 2020.
4. Cooperation and External Relations
The Faculty develops a broad cooperation network with domestic and international educational institutions, research institutes, and enterprises.
- International Academic Partners: University of Melbourne (Australia), University of Birmingham (UK), University of Tokyo, University of Tsukuba (Japan), Yonsei University, Sejong University (South Korea), Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (Russia), etc.
- Enterprises: FECON, CONINCO, Đèo Cả Group, Trường Thành Group, Shimizu (Japan), Willof, Technobridge NKE, Wacom Singapore, etc.
- Domestic Partners: Vietnam Institute for Building Science and Technology, Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, University of Transport and Communications, Thuyloi University, Vietnam–Japan University, local government departments and agencies, etc.
5. Student Affairs
With a student-centered philosophy, the Faculty considers student affairs a cornerstone in training high-quality, well-rounded, and globally integrated human resources.
Key initiatives include:
- Practical training and industry links: Students engage in intensive practice at the Hòa Lạc campus with modern equipment. The Faculty maintains an extensive internship network with companies such as FECON, CONINCO, Đèo Cả Group, Trường Thành Group, as well as international partners like Shimizu (Japan), Willof, Technobridge NKE, and Wacom Singapore. Through these partnerships, 100% of graduates have opportunities to work in Japan.
- Scientific research: Students have won numerous awards in faculty, university, and VNU-level research conferences. In 2023 and 2024, student teams won international prizes in BIM/VR programming and design competitions in Japan. At the 2025 Mechanics Olympiad, they achieved further impressive results.
- Skills development and global integration: From their first year, students receive career guidance and engage in exchanges with businesses and international peers. The Faculty hosts foreign interns (from France, Japan) and organizes career workshops, job fairs, and alumni networking events.
- Student clubs: With the encouragement and mentorship of Prof. Dr. Sc. Nguyen Dinh Duc, the Innovation Space and the Artificial Intelligence Club of UET were founded in 2025. These clubs attract talented, creative students from across VNU and other universities, working alongside academics, experts, and enterprises in AI, design, and innovation.
Career prospects for graduates:
- Civil Engineering graduates can work in domestic and international companies, government agencies, research centers, and universities, or pursue graduate studies in construction, transportation, bridges, roads, infrastructure, urban planning, architecture, and project management.
- Industrial and Graphic Design graduates can become industrial designers, graphic designers, or interior designers, working in product design (consumer goods, electronics, vehicles, machinery, medical devices), product development in manufacturing industries (mechanical, plastic, wood, metals, new materials), R&D, and technology firms (UI/UX design, 3D modeling, CAD/CAM, 3D printing, smart interactive products). They may also work in media, advertising, and creative industries, as well as in government agencies, research institutes, or start their own design studios, combining engineering and business to create commercially viable innovative products.
