The recent 2026 Global MOOC and Online Education Conference (GMC) not only provided a large-scale academic forum space but also recorded many remarkable advancements of international education systems. Particularly, the Vietnamese representative made a memorable milestone with the moment the University of Languages and International Studies – Vietnam National University, Hanoi (ULIS – VNU) was honored and received the 2026 GMA Awards.

GMC 2026: The grand meeting of global educational elites

The 2026 Global MOOC and Online Education Conference was successfully held from November 2 to November 4 at Vietnam National University, Hanoi, gathering nearly 400 high-level delegates from 6 continents, with the theme “Reallocating Intelligence: Transforming Education for a Human-AI Future”.

Co-organized by Vietnam National University, Hanoi and Tsinghua University (China), under the sponsorship of the Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance (GMA) and the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education, the conference recorded notable highlights:

• The gathering of academic elites: The event featured the presence of the world’s leading educational institutions such as Harvard University, the University of Tokyo, Tsinghua University, along with representatives of prestigious international educational organizations.
• The attention of leaders at all levels: The conference was honored to welcome Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau and leaders of many ministries and branches to attend and deliver directional speeches at the opening session held on November 3 at Nguyen Van Dao Hall.

2026 GMA Awards: A prestigious benchmark for education in the digital era

The GMA Awards is a prestigious international award founded by the Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance (GMA) to recognize educational programs that demonstrate significant innovation, bring high value, and have the potential for widespread application. As one of the most reputable benchmarks in digital education, this award possesses special evaluation aspects:

• Strict and comprehensive standards: The award honors courses and teaching practices that overcome traditional barriers, strongly applying technology in the digital environment to create inclusive, active, and effective learning experiences.
• Fierce competition rate: The global expert council selected exactly the 20 most outstanding educational programs to award, including 10 GMA Awards and 10 GMA Awards: AI Special Recognition.

Proud of Vietnamese education: The University of Languages and International Studies makes a historical mark

An outstanding representative of Vietnam’s higher education, The English B1 LMS course developed by VNU University of Languages and International Studies (VNU-ULIS), has registered its name on the global educational technology map with the 2026 GMA Awards.

Built by the persistent efforts of the collective of the Faculty of English Language and Culture along with professional coordination from the Institute of Digital Education and Assessment, the honoring of The English B1 LMS course at the 2026 GMA Awards brings immense and important meaning to the University of Languages and International Studies in particular and the national education in general:

• For the development team: This is a well-deserved recognition at the international level for the process of researching, building, and continuously perfecting the school’s digital learning materials.
• For the national education: The mark of ULIS creates a strong motivation for the higher education network in Vietnam. The award proves the right direction in the digital transformation process, turning technological advancements into powerful tools to establish an inclusive and modern online educational ecosystem.
• Immense symbolic meaning: The moment the Vietnamese representative stepped onto the award podium in a solemn conference space, witnessed by hundreds of university leaders and global experts, affirmed the position and deep integration capacity. This proves that Vietnamese education has been successfully approaching and grasping the world’s most advanced technological standards.

Being honored at the 2026 GMA Awards is not only the pride of VNU University of Languages and International Studies alone but also a strong affirmation of the intellect, the aspiration to reach out, and the persistent creativity of Vietnamese education in the digital technology era.