New Zealand promotes cooperation with Vietnam in forestry and education

The New Zealand Government has just announced many cooperation policies with Vietnam in two key areas: education and forestry. These policies aim to promote sustainable development, support the training of high-quality human resources and increase timber trade between the two countries.

Expanding wood export opportunities

On May 27, New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay announced a new cooperation agreement between New Zealand and Vietnam to promote timber exports and remove potential trade barriers in the forestry sectors of the two countries.

Under the agreement, New Zealand radiata pine will be recognised as compliant with Vietnam’s evolving timber construction standards, opening up opportunities for deeper penetration into the market. The agreement will help boost bilateral trade – currently at NZ$2.68 billion (US$1.59 billion) – and significantly boost sawnwood exports, currently worth around NZ$48 million a year, New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay told the Vietnam News Agency.

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Mr McClay stressed that Vietnam’s economy has doubled in the past decade and is forecast to have the fastest income growth globally in the coming years, meaning higher demand for construction, more sustainable products and more opportunities for New Zealand timber.

Practical support for Vietnamese students studying postgraduate in New Zealand

In parallel with the trade sector, New Zealand has also strengthenededucational cooperation with Vietnam through a series of practical support policies for postgraduate students, especially candidates under the Project to Enhance the Capacity of Lecturers and Managers of Higher Education Institutions to Meet the Requirements of Comprehensive and Fundamental Reform of Education and Training in the 2019-2030 Period (Project 89). The Project was approved under Decision No. 89/QD-TTg dated January 18, 2019 of the Prime Minister of Vietnam.

According to Education New Zealand (ENZ), New Zealand universities are committed to increasing support for Vietnamese students studying Masters and PhD programs, with incentive packages including 3-month English scholarships, living allowances for accompanying families, research grants, international conferences, health care, psychological counseling, academic publishing support and research capacity building courses.

The agreement to support the implementation of Project 89 was signed between the Universities Council of New Zealand (UNZ) and the Department of International Cooperation ( Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam) during the official visit to Vietnam of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in February 2025. This is considered an important step in the long-term educational cooperation strategy between the two countries.

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In terms of costs, PhD tuition fees in New Zealand range from $3,600 to $6,000 per year – significantly lower than the $25,000 per year subsidy provided by Project 89. Living expenses of around $12,000 per year are also in line with the subsidy in Vietnam. In addition, international students are allowed to bring their spouses and children and work full-time during their studies – an advantage that helps international students feel secure in their studies and develop a long-term academic career.

In addition to separate policies, Vietnamese students can also access many other valuable scholarship programs such as the Manaaki scholarship sponsored by the New Zealand Government, full PhD scholarships and partial Master's scholarships from prestigious universities in this country.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/new-zealand-thuc-day-hop-tac-voi-viet-nam-trong-lam-nghiep-va-giao-duc-213839.html