The Ministry of Construction has recently approved the detailed planning for the International University under the Vietnam National University, Hanoi in Hoa Lac, Thach That district, local media reported.

The university is expected to be erected on an area of 9.22 hectares and train 2,100 students by 2020; the number of students would be raised to 4,030 by 2025 and 6,000 students by 2030.

A bird's eye view of the planning area of Hanoi National University in Hoa Lac

The university is a center of training, research and knowledge transfer, pioneering in multidisciplinary studies and reaching international accreditation standards. It will become an international innovation center of the Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

In 2009, the Vietnamese government approved the plan to move universities and colleges out of Hanoi’s downtown by 2025. One of the goals of the plan is to reduce student density and the number of higher educational institutions downtown.

Accordingly, from 2010 to 2021, the Hanoi Department of Planning and Architecture and the Ministry of Construction would relocate 23 educational institutions, including 12 universities and colleges and 11 other higher educational institutions.

Currently, Hanoi has 12 universities and colleges subject to being relocated, including Foreign Trade University, Trade Union University, University of Construction, Hanoi Open University, among others.

However, after 10 years of implementation, only Public Health University has been moved out of Giang Vo street, Ba Dinh district.

University relocation is no less urgent than removing polluted industrial facilities in Hanoi away from residential areas.

Slow university relocation away from Hanoi's inner city is worsening traffic congestion and environmental pollution, and adds pressure on the city's infrastructure, according to experts.