History

HISTORY

Vietnam National University of Agriculture dates back to the founding of the University of Agriculture and Forestry on October 12, 1956 as one of the first national universities of Vietnam. At its early establishment, the University consisted of three faculties including Agronomy, Animal and Veterinary Science, and Forestry.

In 1958, the University was united with the institutes of Farming Research, Animal Production and Forestry to form the Academy of Agriculture and Forestry. In 1961, the Faculty of Economics and Rural Development was established. During the period of 1960-1962, two more specializations, viz. Fisheries and Agricultural Economics, were opened.

In 1963, the Academy was split into the University of Agriculture and the Vietnam Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology. At the same time, the Faculty of Forestry was separated from the University to become the University of Forestry.

Later, in 1966, the Faculty of Fisheries dissociated itself from the University to become the University of Fisheries. After Vietnam’s Reunification in 1975, some new faculties were set up. The Faculty of Land Management was founded in 1976 and then renamed into the Faculty of Land Resources and Environment in 2003 and further to the Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment in early 2008. In 2013, this Faculty was separated again into two faculties, namely the Faculty of Land Management and the Faculty of Environment.

In order to offer graduate education in agricultural sciences and related areas, in 1978 the Graduate School was founded.

The Faculty of Technical Teacher’s Training was established in 1997, followed by the establishment of the Faculty of Food Science and Technology in 2001. In 2007, the Faculty of Technical Teacher’s Training was reorganized. The Department of Informatics separated and joined the Dept. of Mathematics to form the Faculty of Information Technology. The Faculty of Education and Foreign Languages was formed through the merger of the Department of Psychology and Education and the Department of Foreign Languages. In the same year, the Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine was split into the Faculty of Animal Science & Aquaculture and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. In 2008, the Faculty of Biotechnology was also established.

In March 2014, Hanoi University of Agriculture was officially renamed as Vietnam National University of Agriculture and transferred from the Ministry of Education and Training to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Currently, the University has 13 faculties, 10 supportive offices, 1 School, 11 research centers and institutes, and 9 service agencies/centers.

In brief, since its foundation, the University has been renamed several times with many twists and turns, hardships and achievements, while striving to advance excellence in teaching and research. It has also shared its human and material resources for capacity building and establishment of other universities and research institutes in the country. After several times of merging, separating and human resource sharing, Vietnam National University of Agriculture is now known as the cradle of and the leading university among the community of universities of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in the country.

Rectors of VNUA by terms