Dalat is actually something of an education centre. The reason for this is its climate: before air-con, it was one of the few places in Vietnam where it was possible to study without working up a sweat. Therefore, a number of educational institutions were located in town, with Dalat University (1 Phu Dong Thien Vuong St) being the most famous.
Dalat University was founded as a Catholic university in 1957 by Hué Archbishop Ngo Dinh Thuc, the older brother of President Ngo Dinh Diem (assassinated in 1963) with the help of Cardinal Spelman of New York. The university was seized from the church in 1975 and closed, but it reopened two years later as a state-run institution.
There are presently more than 13,000 students studying here, although they all live in off-campus boarding houses. The university library contains 10,000 books, including some in English and European languages. The 38-hectare campus can easily be identified by the triangular tower topped by a red star, which was stuck over the cross originally erected by the church. The fact that the cross were never actually removed has led some to speculate that the church may some day get the campus returned to it. Foreign visitors are generally welcome to visit the campus.
