Monsanto-VNUA scholarship: half a decade of cultivating talent

The winning students of the fifth year of Monsanto-VNUA scholarship

This was yet another landmark in the half-century co-operation between schools and businesses, who desire to nurture and encourage young talents to participatein development research and apply advanced biotechnology to serve Vietnamese agriculture and farmers.

Emotions spill over when receiving reputable Monsanto-VNUA scholarship

Following the traditions in study and scientific research of the senior class, K60, K61, K62 students of the Faculty of Biotechnology, VNUA have achieved many excellent achievements in both academic and scientific research. This is also a prerequisite for the most outstanding students in academic and scientific research to receive the Monsanto-VNUA Scholarship in the fifth year of its organisation.

As one of the five outstanding students to receive the Monsanto-VNUA scholarship, Pham Le Anh Minh from class K61CNSHE shared: "When I entered the school, I was very impressed with the seniors who received the Monsanto-VNUA Scholarship. With my admiration, I set the goal that one day I would also receive this prestigious scholarship. With VND42.5 million, I think the Monsanto-VNUA scholarship has the greatest value in both matter and spirit for agricultural students. I intend to use all of this money to invest in studying, so that I can leave my part-time job and not worry about living costs anymore."

Minh was probably one of the happiest students in the fifth year of Monsanto-VNUA “Fellowship Festival” because he is also part of the scientific research group that won the VND35 million ($1,522) scholarship with a project on studying the biological characteristics of some Panama fungal strains on banana trees and propose solutions.

Half a decade of nurturing talents

Now in the fifth year of the Monsanto-VNUA scholarship programme, 25 excellent students and 21 research projects have received scholarships with the total value of more than VND1.5 billion ($75,000). Particularly in this fifth year, Monsanto-VNUA has awarded five students and three scientific research groups.

Associate Professor PhD Nguyen Duc Bach, dean of the Biotechnology Faculty, VNUA, said that: "During the 10 years since the establishment of the Biotechnology Faculty, from a difficult beginning when both teachers and students lacked school supplies, lesson plans, and laboratory equipment, we acknowledge with deep gratitude the help from the institutes, organisations, as well as domestic and foreign companies. The Monsanto-VNUA scholarship is a meaningful programme with great value and has always been a great spiritual and material encouragement for students and lecturers of the Faculty of Biotechnology, VNUA. The scholarship also inspires students to study hard and achieve high results to earn this scholarship.”

Bach also expressed his expectation that the Faculty of Biotechnology will continue to receive valuable scholarships like Monsanto-VNUA in the future to encourage students to study and conduct research and to foster talents and develop a team of scientists with real capacity, real talent, and real intent tobetter the country's agriculture.

Monsanto-VNUA scholarship contributes to student’s enthusiasm in study and scientific research

“Young talent trees" nurtured by the Monsanto-VNUA Scholarship

Many students of the Faculty of Biotechnology consider the Monsanto-VNUA Scholarship as the most valuable reward and aid they have gained during their study at VNUA. These include excellent students such as Nguyen Thi Phuong Anh, Phan Thi Bich Phuong, Hoang Thi Dao, Vu Duy Thai Son, Dang Quang Son, and many other talented students who have proved that the Monsanto-VNUA scholarship has inspired students to achieve good academic results and be diligent in scientific research to apply the theory in practice at the farm.

Dang Hoang Trang received the Monsanto-VNUA scholarship in 2014, 2015, and 2016 for her academic and scientific research achievements. Hoang Trang claimed that the Monsanto-VNUA scholarships is “a spiritual and material encouragement for me during study and research.” At present, Hoang Trang has been honoured for her outstanding achievements of receiving four full Master’s scholarships (including two full Master’s scholarships of the European Union, a full scholarship in Plant Genetics of the Swedish government, and a full Master’s scholarship of the New Zealand government).