Odon Vallet scholarships for Vietnamese students
Professor Odon Vallet occasionally appears in commentary programmes on French television, but not many people know that this well known professor with a harsh face is really a kind hearted millionaire who has helped thousands of disadvantaged Vietnamese students.
Over the past decade, more than 16,000 Odon Vallet scholarships worth more than VND63 billion have been granted to outstanding Vietnamese students and researchers.
He comes to the scholarship awards ceremonies very quietly and speaks briefly without the rhetoric usually heard at such events. He often gives the scholarships directly to each student and asks them about their studies while offering sincere, heartfelt encouragement.
Professor Vallet is not your ordinary millionaire. He said that he can earn his own living and the EUR100 million in property that he inherited from his father will be dedicated to supporting ambitious, motivated young people overcome their hardships and help them succeed.
He said he considers himself 200 percent Vietnamese and explains that his long love for the country stems mainly from the Vietnamese people's traditional fondness for learning.
He has visited the Temple of Literature in Hanoi, the first university in Vietnam, and greatly respects the country's tradition of study. He also admires the generations of Vietnamese students who have obtained great achievements in international academic competitions. Therefore, he feels proud and honoured to present his scholarships with the hope that they will help students do well in their studies and actively contribute to the country’s development.
In the past decade, the number of scholarships he offers has increased from 800 in the first year to 2,250 in 2011. The scholarships are awarded to Vietnamese students who win prizes in international competitions or are at the top of their class at university, and pupils at ethnic minority schools and the SOS villages in Hanoi, Haiphong and Phu Tho.
This year, each scholarship for young researchers and university students will be worth VND9 million and VND6 million for high school pupils.
The professor said he will increase the number of scholarships for Vietnamese students and he also intends to search for additional financial sources so he can make his scholarships more effective and help even more students with their studies in the future.