DUE’s Women of Distinction: A Pioneer Who Paved the Way for Historic Milestones

As the first female Vice Rector of the University of Economics, The University of Danang, serving from 1996 to 2009, and the first female Associate Professor of Economics at The University of Danang in 2002, Associate Professor Nguyen Thi Nhu Liem has built a career defined by academic excellence, determination and an enduring commitment to higher education.

Raised in a family with a revolutionary tradition, Associate Professor Nguyen Thi Nhu Liem belonged to a generation of young Da Nang officials sent to northern Vietnam for education and training. After graduating, she was offered a position at the National Economics University in Hanoi. However, just one year later, she chose to return to her hometown and begin her journey of contributing to higher education in Da Nang.

After completing her doctoral research programme in the Soviet Union, she continued her career at DUE despite receiving offers from other educational institutions. When she concluded her management tenure in 2009, she chose to remain with the university to which she had devoted many years. This steadfast commitment reflects both her passion for teaching and her sense of responsibility towards an institution to which she had dedicated so much of her professional life.

At a time when resources for teaching and research were limited, she and her colleagues worked hard to pursue independent learning, exchange professional knowledge and keep abreast of new developments. At the age of 34, she became one of Vietnam’s youngest holders of the former Candidate of Sciences academic qualification, equivalent to an earlier doctoral-level title. Her academic and management milestones established her as a pioneering female intellectual at The University of Danang.

In working with students, she emphasises discipline, independent learning and critical thinking. In her view, higher education should do more than impart knowledge; it must also equip learners with methods for approaching problems, the ability to conduct independent research and the capacity to adapt. These foundations enable students to respond proactively to changes in their careers and lives.

Her contributions have also extended into public service. She served on the Da Nang People’s Council for two terms, held the position of Deputy Head of its Economic and Budget Committee for 10 years, and served as Vice Chairwoman of the city’s Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee for four terms. She has also been recognised for her leadership as Chairwoman of the city’s Association of Female Intellectuals.

Looking back on her career, her aspiration for DUE is to see the university further strengthen its position as a research-oriented institution, leading the way in forward-thinking approaches and innovation.

On the occasion of Vietnamese Women’s Day on October 20, the story of Associate Professor Nguyen Thi Nhu Liem pays tribute to a female academic who helped pave the way for future generations. Her pioneering milestones may belong to the past, but her dedication to education, responsibility towards the community and aspiration for progress remain enduring values that she has bequeathed to DUE.