HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach Newswire - 28 September 2026 - Phenikaa University, a member of Phenikaa Group, a diversified Vietnamese conglomerate, has announced a VND 80 billion (approximately US$3 million) investment in STEM education in 2026. The University has also launched Phenikaa Planetarium, a new international-standard facility dedicated to astronomy education, public engagement with science and experiential learning.

The Planetarium is serving as a key venue for the 19th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA 2026), which Vietnam is hosting for the first time. The Olympiad brings together nearly 500 international delegates from 64 countries and territories, including more than 300 outstanding high-school contestants, as well as team leaders, scientists and educators.

The investment forms part of Phenikaa University's broader strategy to strengthen STEM education by integrating learning, research, technology and hands-on scientific experience.

Designed to take science education beyond the classroom, Phenikaa Planetarium enables students to explore astronomical phenomena through immersive visualisation and observation. In addition to supporting university teaching, the facility will give high-school students access to astronomy and hands-on STEM learning, while also serving teachers and the wider community.

The Planetarium features a 16-metre-diameter dome, a projection system of 5 Sony GTZ380 projectors and SkyExplorer simulation software, enabling detailed simulation of the night sky under controlled conditions. These technical capabilities also enable the facility to host the planetarium-based observational examination of IOAA 2026.

Prof. Dr. Ho Xuan Nang, Chairman of the Phenikaa University Council, said: "This VND 80 billion commitment is ultimately an investment in the next generation of scientists and innovators. Through Phenikaa Planetarium, we want young people not only to learn about science, but to experience it first-hand, to ask bigger questions and to develop the confidence to pursue discoveries of their own."

Building a stronger platform for STEM

Astronomy offers a naturally interdisciplinary setting for STEM education, bringing together physics, mathematics, computing, data analysis and engineering. By hosting IOAA 2026, Phenikaa University is connecting its new STEM infrastructure directly with an international community of young scientific talent.

Beyond the Olympiad, the University plans to develop Phenikaa Planetarium into a long-term platform for STEM education, astronomy outreach and academic activities, as well as for collaboration with schools and international partners.

The investment comes amid growing international recognition of Phenikaa University's academic and institutional development.

In April, Phenikaa became the first Vietnamese university to win the "Leadership and Management Team of the Year" award at the Times Higher Education (THE) Awards Asia 2026. The University was also placed in the 401-600 band globally in the THE Impact Rankings 2026, which assess universities' contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The University currently offers more than 130 academic programmes from bachelor's to doctoral level, including 5 ABET-accredited and 6 medical residency programmes.

Phenikaa is also one of 12 higher education institutions selected under a scheme approved by Vietnam's Prime Minister to develop leading universities in Hanoi, with the goal of ranking among Asia's top 150 universities by 2030. The scheme reflects broader efforts to strengthen research capacity, international engagement and the global competitiveness of higher education in the Vietnamese capital.

For Phenikaa University, the new STEM investment is intended to translate these ambitions into lasting capacity through modern infrastructure, internationally benchmarked education, stronger research and greater opportunities for young people to engage directly with science.

As IOAA 2026 brings the international astronomy community to Hanoi, Phenikaa Planetarium provides an immediate demonstration of that strategy in action and will continue to open the universe to Vietnam's next generation of scientists.

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