Vietnam, UK aim for sustainable partnership in science and technology

More than 80 education experts and representatives from UK and Vietnamese universities, businesses and international organizations attended the Vietnam-UK Higher Education Forum 2025 in London to exchange knowledge and explore opportunities to establish sustainable partnerships in science, technology and innovation.

The event was organized by the British Council (BC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam, the Embassy of Vietnam in the UK, and the Association of Vietnamese Intellectuals in the UK and Ireland (VIS) on October 31.

With the theme: “Building a strategic and sustainable Vietnam-UK higher education partnership for talent development, innovation and global impact”, the Forum contributes to concretizing the commitment of the two countries in building a comprehensive partnership in education, science, technology and innovation, towards developing global human resources and enhancing Vietnam's position in international education.

Delegates attending the Forum discussed strategies and directions for innovation and integration of Vietnam's higher education in the new period; promoting transnational educational cooperation through developing international training linkage programs (TNE), ensuring quality, transferability and employment opportunities for students as well as experience in maintaining long-term partnerships in line with Vietnam's human resource development orientation.

The forum also discussed the role of university leadership in science and technology development and global cooperation, with rectors, researchers and business representatives discussing how universities from both countries can cooperate in research, technology transfer and innovation ecosystem development.

Delegates highly appreciated the iTechPath program initiated by the British Council, considering it a platform to help improve the quality of training and scientific cooperation between Vietnam and the UK.

The forum attracted a large number of delegates who were lecturers, researchers, and managers at many universities in the UK and Vietnam. (Photo: Phong Ha / VNA)

At the event, four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between Hanoi University of Science and Technology and Bradford University; University of Transport and Communications and Brunel University London; and British University Vietnam (BUV) and Manchester Metropolitan University.

The agreements mark a new step forward in training cooperation, student and faculty exchange, and dual degree program development.

In an interview with VNA in the UK, Director of the British Council, James Shipton, said the Forum creates connections between universities of the two countries to discuss opportunities and challenges to deepen cooperation in joint research, science, technology and innovation.

He said the topics discussed at the Forum were all contents mentioned in Resolution 71 on breakthroughs in education and training development (NQ 71), sending a positive signal for the future of educational cooperation between the two countries.

Sharing with VNA reporters, Associate Professor Dr. Pham Quoc Khanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Quality Management, Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam, emphasized that in the spirit of Resolution 71 and Resolution 57 on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation and national digital transformation, the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam prioritizes and encourages cooperation in science, technology and innovation between universities of the two countries based on a consistent view on international cooperation, which is to respect differences while ensuring the interests of all parties.

Associate Professor Dr. Pham Quoc Khanh said that the Minister of Education's choice of the UK as one of the first countries to visit and work with after Resolution 71 was issued shows that Vietnam values cooperation with the UK, an advanced country in education and scientific research.

He said that in the next five years, the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training will prioritize cooperation with the UK in advanced research fields in which the country is leading, emphasizing that the Forum is important in connecting universities, lecturers and researchers of the two countries to realize the implementation of these priorities.

Speaking to VNA reporters in the UK, Professor Andrew Atherton, Vice President for International Relations at Southampton University, emphasized that more and more British universities see Vietnam as a truly important partner in education and research because Vietnam considers knowledge, research and innovation as central to the country's future development, as General Secretary To Lam announced during his recent visit to the UK.

Attending the Forum, Associate Professor Dr. Le Hoai Duc, Vice Rector of the University of Transport, said that in addition to the MoUs signed with British universities, the University of Transport hopes to continue expanding connections with British universities, experts and researchers to promote scientific and technological cooperation projects, serving the country's overall strategy./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/viet-nam-anh-huong-toi-quan-he-doi-tac-ben-vung-ve-khoa-hoc-cong-nghe-post1074365.vnp