International Biology Olympiad medalist leaves Hong Kong to inspire next generation in Vietnam

详细摘要

A decade after studying and working at an Asia's top 10 university in Hong Kong, an International Biology Olympiad medalist has returned to Vietnam to strengthen science education in his hometown.

Nguyen Dac Hieu, 28, said leaving Hong Kong to become a teacher at Lam Son High School for the Gifted in Thanh Hoa Province was always part of his plan, driven by a desire to contribute to his community.

Hieu is one of over 700 teachers appointed by the province's Department of Education and Training last month. As one of only two educators assigned to Lam Son High School for the Gifted, he will lead the specialized biology classes. It is a goal he has nurtured since graduating from the same school 10 years ago.

"Ever since I began studying abroad, I wanted to absorb new knowledge and methodologies so I could bring them back to serve my country," he said.

In 2016, Hieu won a bronze medal at the International Biology Olympiad (IBO), the world's premier annual competition for high school students.

A year later, he secured a full scholarship to study Biotechnology at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, which currently ranks ninth in the 2026 QS World University Rankings for Asia.

Nguyen Dac Hieu on his university graduation day at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Photo courtesy of Hieu

He was also a founding member of the Vietnamese Students’ Association in Hong Kong (VSAHK), serving as its president from 2023 to 2025. This leadership role gave him an understanding of the aspirations and challenges faced by Vietnamese students venturing abroad.

"Students in Vietnam in general, and Thanh Hoa in particular, are academically excellent, but they sometimes lack opportunities for early exposure to international learning methods and academic environments," he said.

After graduating from university in 2022, Hieu remained at HKUST as a research assistant. Earlier this year, upon hearing that his home province was recruiting teachers, the young man weighed the decision of staying abroad against returning home.

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