 Emeritus teacher, Dr. Pham Xuan Khanh (Photo: Hanoi Vocational College of High Technology) |
In early 2009, while serving as head of the Electronics Faculty at Hanoi University of Industry, Pham Xuan Khanh was invited by the Hanoi People’s Committee to help establish a new public institution dedicated to training high-quality human resources for Hanoi. That institution became the Hanoi Vocational College of High Technology, with Dr. Khanh as its principal.
As the founder of a vocational college at a time when formal university education and overseas study were booming, Khanh faced significant challenges. He forged his own path, designing training programs matched to labor-market demands, building strong partnerships with enterprises, and pursuing a consistent strategy of innovation, with at least 70% of training time devoted to hands-on practice. In his view, if training is not linked to real production and does not reflect the needs of businesses, graduates will not be able to compete.
 Students of Hanoi Vocational College of High Technology are trained in a modern, dynamic environment. (Photo courtesy of Hanoi Vocational College of High Technology) |
“Enterprises work with us in designing and operating training programs, and allowing students to work while they study so that, once they graduate, they can continue as the enterprise’s employees. This means that, from the day they start school, students are already employees of the enterprise, are paid salaries, and have all their training costs covered by the enterprise. This partnership is among the best in Vietnam today,” Khanh said.
Under the leadership of Dr. Pham Xuan Khanh, Hanoi Vocational College of High Technology has asserted itself as a center of high-quality vocational training.
The school offers training in 46 occupations, with majors in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Semiconductor Chip Design, Smart Energy, ESG–Circular Economy, Industrial Logistics, and High-Speed Railway Engineering. This is in line with the development orientation of Hanoi and Vietnam in the era of digital transformation and green transition.
“High tech is the future of the industrial sector. We focus on training human resources who are disciplined and capable of meeting the requirements of the industries that are important to Hanoi and the key economic region of northern Vietnam,” said Khanh.
Hanoi Vocational College of High Technology has signed cooperation agreements with more than 400 local and foreign businesses, including the training of 800 students for South Korea’s Hanwha Group and more than 1,000 students for Viettel, Thanh Long, and Hung Thinh companies. These programs let students learn in a real working environment where they can hone their skills and professional discipline. The employment rate of the school’s graduates has never fallen below 95%.
“Hanoi Vocational College of High Technology has attracted a lot of attention from employers. The students, after graduation, have not only solid professional knowledge but also soft skills. Enterprises that cooperate with the school provide expertise and modern equipment. The students receive 70–100% of their training costs throughout their studies while the enterprises gain a workforce with strong skills,” said Bui Thu Huong, Deputy Director of MB Tech Vietnam.
Hanoi Vocational College of High Technology regularly hosts national skills competitions, teaching equipment contests, the ASEAN Skills Competition, and the WorldSkills Competition. Its students have won a number of medals.
 Students of Hanoi Vocational College of High Technology take part in the National Startup Festival. (Photo: Hanoi Vocational College of High Technology) |
“I was one of the college’s first-intake students, and had the opportunity to be guided by the principal in electronics. Now I’m a lead technician at an industrial zone in Hung Yen province,” alumnus Hoang Binh said.
To improve the quality of teaching, Khanh spends a lot of time doing scientific research. He led many ministry-level projects and city- and institution-level initiatives, and has developed many effective teaching models.
“Dr. Khanh is a very dynamic educator. He has strong professional expertise and an excellent strategic vision for the development of the college,” said Vice principal Le Danh Quang.
Dr. Pham Xuan Khanh has been awarded the Second-class and Third-class Labour Order, by the President, and the title “National Emulation Fighter”, conferred by the Prime Minister in 2025. Hanoi Vocational College of High Technology has been selected by the Prime Minister to be a center for training high-quality human resources for Hanoi and northern Vietnam.