Established in 1810, the Karolinska Institute ranks among the top 50 medical universities globally and is Sweden’s foremost centre for medical education and research. In addition to its academic and scientific roles, the Institute is also responsible for selecting the annual Nobel Prize laureates in Physiology or Medicine.

In Vietnam, the Karolinska Institute has established cooperation programmes with the Hanoi Medical University, the National Children’s Hospital, and the Vietnam - Sweden Uong Bi Hospital, contributing to the development of the national healthcare system.

Receiving the Vietnamese PM, the institute’s leadership expressed their desire to expand cooperation with Vietnam in key areas of health care, particularly in reducing neonatal mortality and improving care for premature infants, following their latest clinical research with the engagement of the private sector. Vietnamese students joining these programmes may also receive doctoral-level training at the Institute, they said.

Congratulating the Institute on its outstanding academic achievements and global stature, Chinh emphasised that Vietnam and Sweden have maintained a strong tradition of medical cooperation for over 55 years. He thanked the Swedish government and people for their assistance in building key medical institutions, such as the National Children’s Hospital and the Vietnam - Sweden Uong Bi Hospital that continue to operate effectively and have saved countless children’s lives, some of whom have gone on to become prominent doctors and scientists.

The Prime Minister affirmed that Sweden has always stood by Vietnam in enhancing professional capacity, training human resources, and building a sustainable healthcare system. The Karolinska Institute, in particular, has played a remarkable role with in-depth, effective academic exchange, training, and research programmes.

Entering a new phase of development, the Prime Minister stated, Vietnam is prioritising breakthroughs in science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation, including in the healthcare sector. It is building smart hospitals, implementing electronic medical records, and shifting from a disease-treatment approach to a comprehensive model of health care and protection. The country is also transitioning from population control to population development.

During his Sweden visit, he said, Vietnam and Sweden also established a strategic sectoral partnership in science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

On the basis of shared values and vision, the Prime Minister expressed his hope that the Karolinska Institute would continue to be one of Vietnam’s key strategic partners in health care. He called for stronger, broader, and more effective collaboration with Vietnamese partners on a mutually beneficial basis, with active participation from the private sector and businesses.

The Prime Minister highlighted several key areas of focus, including the training of high-quality medical professionals through both long-term and short-term programmes; the organisation of internships and exchange programmes for students and experts; the joint hosting of academic forums; and collaboration in medical research.

He suggested the transfer of advanced biomedical technologies; the production of medicines and vaccines; and the expansion of partnerships between the Karolinska Institute and leading hospitals in Vietnam in areas such as clinical treatment, research, and healthcare system development.

The Government of Vietnam is committed to providing the most favoerable conditions for expanding cooperation programmes with the Karolinska Institute both bilaterally and multilaterally, he said.

Vietnam and Sweden set sights on upgrading bilateral relations

VOV.VN - This is the right time for Vietnam and Sweden to renew their relationship and work toward elevating it to new heights, agreed Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and his visiting Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh during their talks in Stockholm on June 13.