The event, part of the Vietnam - UK Friendship Year 2023 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties, attracted professors, lecturers, and students of UK universities, VIS members, and businesses in the innovation industry from both countries.
VIS Chairman Prof. Nguyen Xuan Huan said the event aimed to look back on achievements in bilateral educational and training cooperation and explore chances for strengthening ties in tertiary education, research, and innovation.
It also hoped to introduce Vietnam as an innovative country in such fields as emerging technologies, climate change response, and sustainable development; assess the role of leadership in promoting innovation cooperation and supporting the exchange of resources among universities, sectors, and businesses; and help strengthen connectivity among government agencies, universities, businesses, and related organisations of the two countries to make differences in tertiary education and innovation, he noted.
In his remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long stressed that among the seven cooperation pillars, education, science technology, research, and innovation are important and hold huge development potential.
He added the UK is the No 1 partner of Vietnam in tertiary education with over 100 cooperation programmes between the countries. Educational cooperation has also been expanded to general education as Vietnam is working to improve the quality of education and training, including the teaching and learning of English.
Vietnam views the UK, a country with leading education and research quality in the world, as an important partner in education, research, and innovation, the diplomat affirmed, noting that the Vietnamese Embassy recently opened a science - technology office to foster ties in this regard.
He perceived that research partnership will be a new step of development in educational cooperation. He also hoped the number of young Vietnamese postgraduates in the UK will increase in the future.
Also expressing his wish to see more Vietnamese students at his school, Vice-Chancellor of Middlesex University Prof. Nic Beech said the university will consider covering part of tuition fees and granting scholarships for them.
At the event, speakers shared experience and discussed opportunities and prospects for innovation cooperation in emerging technologies, climate change response, and energy transition. They also exchanged views on tertiary education towards sustainable development, management of changes and uncertainties, and maintenance of an ecosystem among the government, industries, and universities.
