On March 22, Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Long Bien, along with his family and former students, visited Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST) to donate $42,000 to support underprivileged students.

Associate Professor Dr. Bui Long Bien, 88, is a former lecturer in Analytical Chemistry, now part of the Faculty of Chemistry at HUST. He served at the university from 1960 to 2002.

Despite having retired for many years, Professor Bien remains deeply concerned about students facing significant hardships yet demonstrating strong will and perseverance.

Motivated by this, he and his family decided to donate $42,000 to establish a scholarship fund at HUST to encourage these resilient students.

The donation comes from his personal savings accumulated over many years of teaching and scientific research.

A remarkable gesture of generosity

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Thanh Huyen, Head of Student Affairs at HUST, many organizations, alumni, and former faculty members regularly support the university's students. However, this is the first time a professor has made such a substantial personal donation.

"Professor Bien has taught generations of HUST students. Even at nearly 90 years old, he continues to care deeply about education and student support," said Dr. Huyen.

With the donated amount, HUST will establish a scholarship fund named after Professor Bien. The fund will be divided into 100 scholarships, each worth $420.

Every semester, the university will award 10 scholarships to 10 students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds (classified as poor or near-poor households or those facing other significant economic challenges).

Scholarship criteria

To be eligible, students must meet the following criteria:

Be enrolled in a standard training program at HUST.

Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 out of 4 in the most recent semester.

Achieve a conduct score of at least 65 out of 100 in the preceding semester.

Students who receive the scholarship can continue to receive it in subsequent semesters if they continue to meet the requirements, up until the completion of their program.

Thuy Nga