Representatives of Vietnamese-German University and DB Engineering & Consulting exchange a Memorandum of Understanding on railway education and technology transfer in Berlin on September 22, witnessed by Vietnamese and German delegates. — Photo courtesy of Vietnamese-German University

BERLIN — The HCM City-based Vietnamese-German University (VGU) and DB Engineering & Consulting GmbH, through its international training provider DB Rail Academy, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate in railway education, technical training, and knowledge transfer in Việt Nam.

The signing took place on September 22 at the InnoTrans 2026 trade fair in Berlin.

The document was signed by Prof. Dr. René Thiele, President of VGU; Mr Milind Nirmal, Executive Director APAC at DB Engineering & Consulting; and Mr Heiko Scholz, Global Director of DB Rail Academy.

Attendees included a Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Construction Bùi Xuân Dũng, along with officials from the Vietnam Railway Authority, Vietnam Railways Corporation, and the Embassy of Việt Nam in Germany.

The agreement comes in response to Việt Nam’s national railway development plans under Decision No. 2230/QĐ-TTg, which projects a need for approximately 70,000 personnel in the rail sector by 2035.

This figure includes 2,000 postgraduates, 18,000 university graduates, and 50,000 technical and operational workers.

To support these manpower targets, the two sides intend to set up a joint platform named the Vietnamese-German Rail Institute.

The planned institute focuses on four main areas.

Under the academic programmes, it will offer joint Bachelor’s and Master’s degree courses as well as specialised rail modules.

For executive training, the institute will provide professional certification programmes in metro and rail management aimed at industry personnel.

It will also deliver technical workforce instruction and "Train-the-Trainer" initiatives for academic staff as part of its vocational and lecturer training.

In addition, the research and simulation initiative will establish modern simulation facilities, conduct joint research projects, and offer technical advisory services. 

Under the arrangement, DB Rail Academy is to contribute technical expertise, assist with simulator design, suggest research topics, and chair the institute’s Advisory Board.

VGU will provide campus facilities, oversee academic accreditation, host the advisory board, and manage student recruitment.

Established in 2008, VGU is a public university formed through a partnership between Việt Nam, Germany, and the State of Hesse.

DB Rail Academy is the training arm of DB Engineering & Consulting, a subsidiary of Germany’s national railway operator Deutsche Bahn. — VNS