Cédric Villani is a professor at Lyon University and director of the Henri Poincaré Institute in Paris. French Vietnamese Ngo Bao Chau works at the University of Chicago and is also Chairman of the Vietnam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics. The two professors won the Fields medal in 2010 and have made great contribution to education sector in France and Vietnam.
Cedric Villani, Professor of Lyon University and Director of Henri Poincaré Institute in Paris, France, said: "Ngo Bao Chau and I both went to the same university – the École Normale Supérieure, the home of many Fields medal winners".
And for the first time, the two mathematicians shared this passion with young people in Hanoi. At the event, they talked about their “adventures” in maths; share their experience in learning and understanding maths issues.
Vietnamese students have won many high prizes in international maths olympics. However, the teaching of the subject is still said to need improvement.
Ngo Bao Chau, Professor of University of Chicago and Chairman of Vietnam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics, said: "A person’s value lies not only in just one’s ability in maths, or public speaking or so on. But he or she needs to develop many other skills and learn about many things. So I think we should enhance the diversity in Vietnam’s education so that everybody can develop their full potential".
During his first visit to Vietnam, Professor Villani has held talks with many local mathematicians to boost co-operation between Vietnam and France. Vietnam is considered to have many maths talents, therefore, a suitable education approach will further help Vietnamese students to develop their potential in the subject, as well as other scientific fields.
