The University of Western Australia has deepened its partnership with Vietnam through a high-level government visit that brought six Vietnamese Vice Ministers to campus for strategic discussions focused on science, technology and sustainable development.
In a visit that reflects expanding Australia–Vietnam collaboration across government, industry and higher education, Vietnam’s Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Mr Nguyen Minh Vu, led a delegation of Vice Ministers responsible for Education and Training, Science and Technology, Agriculture and Environment, and Finance.
Vietnam’s Consul General in Perth, Ms Nguyen Thanh Ha, joined the delegation for a tour which included a panel discussion, chats with Vietnamese students, visits to cutting-edge laboratories and meetings with key UWA representatives.
Professor Raymond Da Silva Rosa, co-Director of the newly established UWA Asia Centre, chaired a session with short talks and discussions on WA–Vietnam: Strengthening Science & Technology Partnerships for a Sustainable Future.
Senior policymakers, researchers and industry leaders explored opportunities in digital transformation, green economic development and innovation – themes closely aligned with Vietnam’s national priorities and UWA’s research strengths.
A panel discussion focused on building a sustainable future through science partnerships, with contributors from Curtin University, the WA Government and UWA sharing perspectives on energy transition, climate resilience and agricultural sustainability.
The delegation also met senior UWA leaders and academic representatives to explore collaborations across sustainable agriculture, health innovation, advanced technologies and capacity-building initiatives.
The meetings included positive discussions around future cooperation in higher education and research training, with Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Education and Training, Mr Nguyen Van Phuc, expressing interest in working with UWA to streamline pathways for Vietnamese Government scholarship recipients to pursue doctoral studies at UWA.
While on campus the delegation visited laboratories at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space, where they learned about UWA’s cutting-edge research in plant science, sustainability and frontier technologies with potential application across Vietnam’s national development priorities.
Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Tim Colmer said the visit demonstrated the strength of UWA’s relationship with Vietnam and highlighted the shared commitment to advancing science, technology and sustainable development.
“It was an honour to welcome the Vietnamese delegation to UWA,” Professor Colmer said.
“The discussions provided a valuable opportunity to deepen our engagement on areas of mutual interest and to showcase the breadth of UWA’s expertise.
“We see enormous potential to build on our existing collaborations across research, innovation and education, and to work together on initiatives that support Vietnam’s national priorities and deliver meaningful outcomes for both our countries.
“UWA remains committed to supporting Vietnam’s efforts to develop the next generation of academic and research leaders.”
Consul General Nguyen Thanh Ha welcomed the growing partnership and acknowledged the role of the UWA Asia Centre in advancing future collaboration.
“Vietnam greatly values its relationship with UWA,” she said. “The establishment of the UWA Asia Centre represents a significant step in strengthening academic exchange, research collaboration and innovation between our institutions.
“The discussions open promising pathways for joint initiatives that support sustainable development and shared prosperity.”
UWA’s partnership with Vietnam continues to expand across joint research, student mobility, articulation pathways and government engagement, with more than 100 co-authored publications between UWA academics and Vietnamese institutions over the past five years.