HCM-UTE Signs Memoranda of Understanding with Seven Legal Practice Organizations, Expanding Internship Opportunities for Law Students

On the morning of October 2, 2026, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Engineering (HCM-UTE, formerly Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education) signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with seven legal practice organizations whose diverse scope of work spans numerous legal fields, including legal practice, notarization, civil judgment enforcement, intellectual property advisory and protection, copyright, and legal issues arising from digital assets.

The cooperation focuses on internships, work-shadowing placements, practice-oriented training, research and community activities, bringing legal practitioners directly into the training of the University’s law students.

Attending the ceremony on behalf of the University were Dr. Huynh Phuoc Son, Director of the Office of Enterprise Relations; Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong, Dean of the Faculty of Political Science and Law; and Dr. Phung The Anh, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Political Science and Law, together with heads of the Faculty’s departments, lecturers and students. The partners were represented by Phan Law Vietnam, Viet A Chau Law Office, SOLA Law Firm Co., Ltd., Nguyen Dinh Thinh Notary Office, Saigon Civil Judgment Enforcement Office (a partnership), Monday Vietnam Joint Stock Company, and the Institute for Copyright Technology and Digital Assets.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong noted that in the roughly three years since the Law program began admitting students, these organizations have worked alongside the Faculty; the signing therefore formally recognizes a partnership already well under way. The Faculty aims to put the cooperation into practice along four directions: inviting practitioners to lead specialized talks and seminars; expanding internship and work-shadowing opportunities as a genuine professional semester; collaborating on research, legal advisory work and community service; and connecting students with career guidance and employment opportunities.

Representatives of all partner organizations pledged to open their doors to students. According to Lawyer Phan Vu Tuan, Head of Phan Law Vietnam, all of the firm’s more than 70 staff members started out as interns, and the technological proficiency of law students trained at an engineering university is a clear advantage. Nguyen Dinh Thinh Notary Office and Saigon Civil Judgment Enforcement Office are ready to host students for site visits and work-shadowing from their second year, while Viet A Chau Law Office will enable students to accompany its lawyers on real cases.

In emerging fields, Monday Vietnam Joint Stock Company will help students explore careers in trademarks, patents and industrial designs, while the Institute for Copyright Technology and Digital Assets plans to work with the Faculty to offer online courses on copyright technology. Lawyer Dau Thi Quyen, Director of SOLA Law Firm Co., Ltd., committed to supporting students through professional experience, community activities and assistance for those facing financial hardship; at the ceremony, SOLA also donated VND 10,000,000 to the community activities of the University’s law students.

On behalf of the University, Dr. Huynh Phuoc Son affirmed that enterprise relations are a particularly important activity, as training quality can only improve when it is closely aligned with practical needs and supported by industry experts. Dr. Huynh Phuoc Son then signed the MOUs with the seven organizations on behalf of the University, together with appendices setting out the cooperation plans for 2026 and 2027.

With a 64-year history, a network of more than 1,650 partner enterprises, corporations and associations, and a training approach that links theory with practice, HCM-UTE places the connection between the State, the University and Industry at the heart of its journey to become a national key university in technology and engineering. Signing with seven legal partners at once shows that the University’s cooperation ecosystem now extends beyond engineering. In a multidisciplinary environment, HCM-UTE law students gain an early advantage in emerging legal fields such as copyright and digital assets, in keeping with the University’s educational philosophy of Humanity – Innovation – Integration.

Text: PP – Photos: Office of Brand Management and Communications