Vietnamese and international students attend FTU's 2026 International Day on October 2. — Photos courtesy of FTU

HÀ NỘI — The Hà Nội campus of Foreign Trade University (FTU) was transformed into a vibrant and colourful space for cultural exchange through International Day 2026 on October 2, bringing together nearly 700 Vietnamese and international students studying at the FTU.

Through cultural exchange activities featuring 18 countries, International Day gave students the chance to experience cultural diversity right on campus.

Welcoming Vietnamese and international students to International Day 2026, FTU President and Associate Professor Dr Phạm Thu Hương expressed her hope that every student would fully enjoy the programme's experiences. 

Associate Professor Dr Phạm Thu Hương, President of Foreign Trade University, speaks at the event.

Dr Hương said that from cuisine and music to performances and the distinctive cultural features of 18 different countries, each activity offers students an opportunity to explore, connect and better understand one another.

She also encouraged students to enjoy the programme together so that, through these diverse cultural experiences, everyone could feel a sense of closeness and belonging, as if they were in their own home.

Throughout the day, students explored different cultures through traditional games, performances, national costumes, food and interactive cultural activities. From lively exchanges in the afternoon to the evening programme featuring traditional attire and international cuisine, the campus became a shared space where cultures were not only introduced, but experienced through direct participation and interaction. 

A foreign student shows the tò he figurine she made at the International Day 2026.

Through the skilful hands of Vietnamese artisans, colourful rice dough was transformed into small figures inspired by everyday life, folklore and familiar cultural images. Among these activities, the traditional Vietnamese tò he experiences offered a particularly meaningful form of cultural exchange. International students were able to observe the craft, interact with the artisans and experience a traditional aspect of Vietnamese culture firsthand.

In this sense, International Day brought cultures from around the world to FTU and also created opportunities to introduce Vietnamese culture to international students in an accessible and engaging way. 

International Day was not only about bringing cultures from around the world to FTU. It also created opportunities to introduce Vietnamese culture to international students in an accessible and engaging way.

Another distinctive feature of International Day 2026 was the active role students themselves played in creating the event. Vietnamese and international students worked together to develop ideas, prepare cultural booths, select costumes, organise games, prepare food and deliver performances.

This collaborative process turned cultural exchange into a shared learning experience, giving students opportunities to communicate across languages and cultures, work in multicultural teams and learn from one another beyond the classroom.

More than just a cultural festival, International Day 2026 is a concrete activity within FTU’s educational internationalisation strategy, aimed at developing an 'Internationalisation at Home' environment and advancing the 'Campus in Campus' model. Under this model, the learning environment at FTU becomes a vibrant international space where Vietnamese and international students can learn, interact and experience different cultures together.

If it is not yet possible to bring every FTU student out into the world, FTU will gradually bring the world to FTU, right on campus, in the classroom and through students’ everyday learning experiences. — VNS