Phenikaa University, a member of Phenikaa Group, has announced a VND 80 billion (approximately US$3 million) investment in STEM education for 2026 and launched Phenikaa Planetarium, an international-standard facility dedicated to astronomy education and public engagement with science. The announcement was made via Media OutReach Newswire.
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 high-school contestants, as well as team leaders, scientists, and educators.
The investment is part of Phenikaa University's broader strategy to strengthen STEM education by integrating learning, research, technology, and hands-on scientific experience. The planetarium features a 16-metre-diameter dome, a projection system of five Sony GTZ380 projectors, and SkyExplorer simulation software, enabling detailed simulation of the night sky under controlled conditions. These capabilities also allow 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."
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.
Phenikaa University currently offers more than 130 academic programmes from bachelor's to doctoral level, including five ABET-accredited and six medical residency programmes. It 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. That 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. More information about the university is available at https://phenikaa-uni.edu.vn/en.
