Brian Jeffrey
Le heads the AI4LIFE Research and Application Institute and teaches at the School of Information and Communication Technology at Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST).
According to Le, establishing a workforce skilled in AI is crucial before embarking on AI projects. She stated, “This is a key issue; without it, we cannot achieve anything.”
At HUST, the training curriculum emphasizes three areas: acquiring AI knowledge, performing advanced AI research, and applying research breakthroughs in practical settings.
“The university aspires to develop AI professionals at different skill levels. Not every graduate will be a deep AI expert, but they should be capable of engaging with various AI applications,” she elaborated.
At the most basic level, students are expected to competently utilize AI in their jobs. The next tier involves AI engineers capable of developing products that leverage AI. The top tier focuses on extensive research in AI, according to Le.
She advocates for a structured training approach shaped like a pyramid to effectively nurture talents across diverse levels.
At the fundamental level, rather than solely imparting general AI concepts, educational institutions should focus on foundational skills in mathematics and information technology.
“AI evolves quickly and frequently. To keep pace with these changes, a robust foundation, especially in math and IT (like algorithms, databases, and programming languages), is crucial for anyone looking to use AI,” she noted.
All students at HUST are provided with foundational mathematics knowledge, encompassing calculus, statistics, and linear algebra, not limited to IT majors.
“For IT students, we impart essential AI concepts including data management and visualization, alongside introductory machine learning and deep learning knowledge. Specialized AI programs are also available,” she added. “Majors in Data Science and AI receive advanced training in topics like natural language processing and generative AI.”
The educational faculty at HUST has sanctioned updates to the curriculum, stipulating that fundamental knowledge of machine learning and basic deep learning models be included in the coursework.
Beyond bachelor’s degree programs, the institution also provides a master’s program focusing on data science and AI.
Le highlighted that a concerning trend in Vietnam is the low percentage of postgraduate students compared to global figures.
“Leading global research universities, such as the University of Tokyo, have nearly equal numbers of postgraduate and undergraduate students. In contrast, Vietnam’s ratio is significantly lower,” she pointed out, emphasizing that this represents a challenge for the education system in Vietnam.
