Great potential for educational and scientific cooperation between Vietnam and the UK

Vietnam and the UK have great potential for cooperation ineducation and science, which are areas in which the UK has strengths and Vietnam has needs.

This was the comment of Professor Patrick Callaghan, Vice-Chancellor of London South Bank University (LSBU), in a conversation with VNA reporters in London during President Vo Van Thuong's visit from May 4-6 to the UK to attend the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Professor Patrick Callaghan. Photo: Character provided

Assessing the relationship between the two countries, Professor Callaghan stated that the Vietnam-UK relationship is developing very well. He said that the cooperative relationship began to be strengthened under Prime Minister John Major in the 1990s and has developed positively over time, as shown by photos of the two countries' diplomatic relations displayed at the Photo Exhibition at LSBU in London on April 27. Professor Callaghan said that with the signing of the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) in December 2020, which officially took effect in May 2021, two-way trade turnover has reached more than 6.8 billion pounds in 2022. He pointed out that the two sides are currently mainly focusing on trade in goods, but there is still much potential to expand to other areas in the service industries where the UK has strengths. The professor also said that Vietnam and the UK can further promote bilateral relations through cooperation in education and scientific research, which are areas with great potential. In particular, educational cooperation between the two countries is not limited to university education but can be expanded to further education and secondary education. According to Professor Callaghan, the UK is famous for the quality of education, with a vibrant research foundation and environment, including many research areas of interest to the world, including issues of global impact stated in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These are also areas of great interest to Vietnam. Therefore, in the future, the two sides can strengthen cooperation through appropriate connections, relationships and partnerships. The professor said that the current education markets of Vietnam and the UK promise great potential. He pointed out that in the global university rankings, universities in Vietnam have begun to improve and move up in rank, especially in the field of educational research, affirming that these are the areas that LSBU wants to connect and cooperate with Vietnam.

Professor Patrick Callaghan (center) takes a souvenir photo with Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long and speakers at the seminar on Vietnam-UK economic relations at LSBU in April. Photo: Phong Ha/VNA

According to Professor Callaghan, Vietnamese and British universities, including LSBU, can cooperate in key areas such as transnational education; doctoral training; scientific research in engineering, health and social care, and community issues. The professor said the number of Vietnamese students studying at LSBU, especially in business, has increased sharply in recent years, affirming that Vietnam is the school's priority partner in areas of cooperation such as university student recruitment, transnational education, research and knowledge transfer. Professor Callaghan said LSBU is currently in discussions with Vietnamese higher education institutions on scientific research cooperation, student exchange and transnational education. Recently, LSBU representatives visited Hanoi and worked with 3 Vietnamese universities (including Phenikaa University, British University Vietnam (BUV) and Foreign Trade University) and 4 partners to seek cooperation opportunities in these fields. The professor affirmed that LSBU always supports the activities of the Vietnamese student community at LSBU as well as the Vietnamese Students' Association in the UK (SVUK). On April 27, LSBU coordinated with the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK to organize a photo exhibition celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the UK and a seminar on economic relations between the two countries, creating opportunities for Vietnamese and international students to better understand Vietnam, the economic and trade relations between Vietnam and the UK, and to find future career orientations in the international business environment. Previously, in February, LSBU supported SVUK to organise Leader Camp 2023 at the school with the participation of more than 100 Vietnamese students from across the UK.

Minh Hop - Hai Van (Vietnam News Agency)