Attended by around 200 esteemed higher education leaders from the UK and Viet Nam to share best-practice and drive further collaboration.
Hanoi, Viet Nam – The Ministry of Education and Training Viet Nam (MOET) together with the British Embassy Hanoi and the British Council today co-organised a transnational education (TNE) forum for UK and Viet Nam Higher Education leaders held in Hanoi.
Themed ThinkTNE: Leveraging UK–Viet Nam transnational education partnerships, the forum is aimed at bringing together both established and new partners in higher education to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experiences, and to highlight success stories of UK–Viet Nam higher education collaborations, using them as compelling case studies and sources of valuable insights for future partnerships. The forum is focused on fostering further development and expansion of UK–Viet Nam higher education partnerships in transnational education.
At the forum, the report on “Towards a more competitive environment for transnational education in Viet Nam” was also introduced. The report, carried out by the British Embassy Hanoi, the British Council and the Ministry of Education and Training Viet Nam, explores various aspects of transnational education, including the TNE landscape in Viet Nam, the current state of TNE development, the challenges and opportunities for market access, as well as recommendations aimed at fostering an enabling environment for TNE. These recommendations aim to boost Viet Nam's competitiveness in TNE and enhance the overall impact and quality of UK TNE delivery in the country.
The forum was attended by around 200 esteemed higher education leaders from both the UK and Viet Nam, as well as prominent figures including H.E. Nguyen Van Phuc, Vietnamese Vice Minister of Education and Training; Professor Sir Steve Smith, UK Government’s International Education Champion; His Majesty's Ambassador to Viet Nam His Excellency Iain Frew; Ms Donna McGowan, Director Viet Nam, British Council and senior representatives from relevant departments from Ministry of Education and Training Viet Nam, British Embassy in Hanoi.
Participants at the forum had the opportunity to participate in in-depth discussions on a range of topics related to transnational education including the global trends and local opportunities in TNE partnerships, and the evolving landscape of international education. Additionally, the participants discussed the strategic aspects of TNE, examining its role and the changing priorities, policies, and regulatory frameworks necessary to facilitate its development and the advancement of transnational education in Viet Nam and beyond.
H.E. Nguyen Van Phuc, Vietnamese Vice Minister of Education and Training, said ‘’We are happy to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations and 10 years of strategic partnership between the UK and Viet Nam. We have increased cooperation between the two countries in the field of education and training, and strengthened cooperation and training links between higher education institutions in the two countries. In the future, Viet Nam will further strengthen cooperation and there will be more cooperation agreements signed with the UK in the field of higher education in the future.’’
Professor Sir Steve Smith, UK Government’s International Education Champion, said “The overarching theme of transnational education today is of ever-growing importance in the world of Higher Education, and I’m excited, and honoured, to be playing a role in helping to increase the capacity of Viet Nam’s universities, to partner internationally. We have with us today, a selection of excellent UK Higher Education Institutions. All are keen to understand your needs, priorities and ambitions, both at a national and institutional level. And then, discuss how they can help with capacity building, that will benefit all.” He added, “The UK’s cross-Government International Education Strategy is a reflection of these changes – with departments working as one, for a quality education offer for international students, be that studying courses in the UK, overseas or in blended formats. This strategy is core to my role, in further developing education partnerships in five Tier 1 countries globally, of which Viet Nam, I’m proud to say, is one. There are currently over 7,100 students in Viet Nam studying the UK university curriculum, of which 6,000 are in person, and the remainder online. Together with our Vietnamese counterparts and partners, we view this as a promising platform to expand on, to enable a more inclusive, equitable and affordable option to study, at the highest of levels.’’
Donna McGowan, Director Viet Nam, British Council, said, "We are delighted to co-organise the UK-Viet Nam Higher Education Conference and to have education leaders from the UK and Viet Nam in Hanoi. At the British Council, we create an enabling environment for transnational education with an aim to improve the quality of learner outcomes, enhance student experience and improve graduate employability. The UK is ranked as the number one country with the largest number of TNE programmes in Viet Nam and has more than three times the number of students engaging with UK HE through TNE than studying in the UK. We remain committed to making education more inclusive and accessible with projects and partnerships that drive inclusive education systems, advocate for addressing social inequalities, and support fairer economic and social conditions.”
This year, marks 50 years of UK–Viet Nam diplomatic relations and 30 years of the British Council’s presence in Viet Nam.
For more information about the forum, visit: ThinkTNE: Leveraging UK–Viet Nam transnational education partnerships
About the British Embassy
The British Embassy Hanoi represents the UK government in Viet Nam. Our work covers a range of areas including: political-diplomatic cooperation, global and regional issues, international trade, sustainable socio-economic development, education, training, science and technology, security and defence, and people-to-people links.
About British Council
British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021–22 we reached 650 million people. www.britishcouncil.org
About British Council in Viet Nam
British Council has an established presence in Viet Nam, with a dynamic portfolio spanning the arts and creative industries, education (higher, vocational and non-formal), and English teaching, learning and assessment, delivering a range of academic and professional UK qualifications. We have 345 staff in Hanoi and in Ho Chi Minh City across six offices and teaching centres. Four more Young Learner language centres will open in 2023, with 10 further centres planned in the coming two years.
We have built extensive networks, connections and partnerships between UK and Vietnamese individuals, organisations and institutions across all areas of our work, and with ambitions to further expand these networks.
In 2023, the British Council in Viet Nam is marking its 30th anniversary, celebrating our commitment to building connections between the UK and Viet Nam. www.britishcouncil.vn