PM attends the Vietnam - Australia education forum in Canberra.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited the Australian National University (ANU) and attended an education forum in Canberra on March 8 (local time), as part of his official visit to Australia. 

In his remarks, the PM highlighted the close and practical friendship between Vietnam and Australia, and the elevation of the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership made on the occasion of his visit.

He called educational cooperation a bright spot in the Vietnam-Australia ties with various achievements gained over the past time, contributing to raising personnel quality in service of national development.

Australia is one of the most favorite destinations of Vietnamese students, he said, noting many of them have gained successes and made significant contributions to national development as well as the bilateral relations after returning home.

The leader affirmed that Vietnam always pays due heed to education-training, and human resources development, especially high-quality personnel, which is also one of its three strategic breakthroughs, along with institution and infrastructure.

Vietnam prioritizes attracting foreign investment to education-training, yet such influx remains limited, especially to higher education, the PM said, stressing that ample room remains for the two countries to enhance their cooperation in this field, thus maintaining its role as an important pillar of the relationship and contributing to strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership.

To boost the collaboration, the two countries should further review and perfect relevant institutions, mechanisms and policies, he suggested.

The Vietnamese government commits to protecting legal, legitimate rights and interests of foreign educational institutions and investors, for mutual benefits, the leader said.

He commended the establishment of a joint working group by the two countries’ ministries of education and training to support Australian universities to open their branches in Vietnam.

He also suggested raising the volume and quality of cooperation programs between educational institutions of the two countries, with more attention to science-technology research, development and application, and such areas as AI, big data, green energy, and biotechnology, which are Vietnam’s needs and Australia’s strengths.

Resources should be mobilized and optimized to implement key projects that are consistent with Australia’s strengths and interest, and Vietnam’s demand, the leader continued.  

He expressed his hope and belief that the forum will open up a new period of educational cooperation between the two countries, and that there will be more Australian educational institutions to operate in Vietnam, and diverse, effective cooperation and research forms, with special attention to projects at the regional level.

At the forum, PM Chinh and representatives from ministries and agencies witnessed the exchange of eight cooperation documents between the two countries’ universities, covering the exchange of students and lecturers, and training in new and important fields like AI, big data, semiconductors, health sciences, environment, digital technology and green energy, among others.

More than 80,000 Vietnamese students have studied in Australia so far, and over 200 Vietnamese and Australian educational institutions have engaged in cooperation programs.