VIETNAM: Fields Medalist Ngo Bao Chau Recruits 6 World-class Mathematicians to Reverse Vietnam’s Brain Drain

Posted by Asia Views | Mar 11, 2026 | 0 |

VNExpress-Mar 7

Six internationally acclaimed Vietnamese mathematicians based in the U.S., France and Germany have committed to returning to Vietnam regularly to supervise doctoral students, in a program aimed at producing world-class researchers domestically rather than losing them to universities abroad. The initiative, called “Converging Scholars,” was announced on March 6 by Prof. Ngo Bao Chau, the Fields Medal laureate who serves as Scientific Director of the Vietnam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics (VIASM). Each of the six professors will spend two to three months per year working with VIASM over an initial three-year period, co-supervising doctoral candidates at the University of Science (HUS) under Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Chau framed the challenge in blunt economic terms: Vietnam has long been a top performer at the International Mathematical Olympiad, consistently ranking among the world’s best. But that pipeline of talent overwhelmingly flows abroad. With proper mentorship, he estimated Vietnam could steer about 25 of them toward careers in mathematical research or applied mathematics over the next decade. “Of course, many excellent students receive scholarships to study abroad,” he said. “But for mathematics to be truly strong, we cannot be satisfied with ‘raw exports.’ We must drive ‘domestic production,’ meaning training elite, core talent at home to lead Vietnamese mathematics.” The six scholars span a range of mathematical disciplines. Together with Chau and Associate Prof. Le Minh Ha, VIASM’s Executive Director, they will co-supervise the doctoral students beginning this year. The program is expected to expand with more scholars in the future. Beyond the doctoral program, Chau said he plans to organize intensive mathematics workshops for groups ranging from gifted high school students to undergraduates and doctoral candidates, with lectures and discussions running full days or entire weeks rather than the typical class period. Read more at: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/education/fields-medalist-ngo-bao-chau-recruits-6-world-class-mathematicians-to-reverse-vietnam-s-brain-drain-5047746.html

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EXTRICATING NDONESIAN CHILDREN FROM ISIS INFLUENCE ABROAD

Indonesia urgently needs to revisit the possibility of repatriating the neediest of its young citizens stranded abroad, whose families had earlier joined ISIS. Most of these children are in camps in northern Syria but there are also small numbers in the Philippines, Afghanistan and Iraq. “Extricating Indonesian Children from ISIS Influence Abroad”, the latest report from the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) argues that the government could begin by bringing back small groups of unaccompanied children under ten years of age, who pose minimal security risk and are most vulnerable to deteriorating conditions in the camps.“The problem is that health and security conditions are worsening by the day in the Syrian camps, and the children are growing older,” says Dyah Kartika, IPAC analyst. “They need access to schools, a nurturing environment, and medical attention. If the government waits too long, the children will be further exposed to ISIS ideology.” The new report examines a 2019 list of Indonesians in camps and prisons run by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Indonesian government has been trying to verify their citizenship, but with pseudonyms, misspellings and bad transliterations, it is a daunting task. At the time the data was collected, between March and June 2019, there were 555 Indonesians in SDF camps and prisons, including 367 children. Among the children, approximately 277 were under the age of ten and 34 were unaccompanied. In June 2021, there are fewer than ten children who are both unaccompanied and under the age of ten that could be prioritized for return. Bringing back children of ISIS families is no easy task. The report analyses the main challenges faced by the Indonesian government. These include definitional issues, bureaucratic competition, the difficulty of verifying nationality, evaluating the toll of exposure to conflict, assessing security risk, and finding relatives or others willing to provide care once the children are returned. In addition, COVID has meant stringent restrictions on travel, placing further obstacles in the way of repatriation. There are several models for rehabilitation of children exposed to violent extremism in Indonesia that could be modified to accommodate the needs of children repatriated from abroad. The report examines these models and argues that the government does not need to have every detail of rehabilitation programs in place before it starts extricating children from ISIS influence. It can start by bringing back the most vulnerable children and then modify programs as needed.

“It’s important that the government see these children as victims” says Dyah. “They deserve a chance to be children again.”

VIETNAM: Fields Medalist Ngo Bao Chau Recruits 6 World-class Mathematicians to Reverse Vietnam’s Brain Drain

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