Vietnam, New Zealand put education at heart of future cooperation

Ways to turn their long-standing education partnership into more practical cooperation were discussed at an education forum in Auckland, New Zealand, on August 13. The forum, held at Auckland University of Technology, brought together representatives from universities, vocational education institutions and other stakeholders from both countries.

New Zealand Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science, Innovation and Technology Penny Simmonds said education has long been a foundation of the relationship between the two countries and would remain an important area under their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

She welcomed the signing of an education cooperation agreement during Party General Secretary and State President To Lam's ongoing visit to New Zealand, saying the two sides would work toward more practical and effective cooperation to build an education system that is sustainable, inclusive, resilient and responsive to rapid technological change.

Building skills for a changing economy

Simmonds said both Vietnam and New Zealand are facing the challenge of adapting education systems to ensure students acquire the skills needed for a changing labour market.

She highlighted areas including digital transformation in education, lifelong learning and education for sustainable development.

New Zealand is working closely with Vietnam to promote sustainable, inclusive, adaptable and high-quality education systems, particularly by accelerating digital transformation in education, lifelong learning and education for sustainable development, Simmonds said.

She added that cooperation between the two countries could help higher education respond to rapid technological changes, strengthen workforce capabilities and support economic growth.

For Vietnam, education and human resource development are increasingly closely linked to the country's new development priorities.

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam said Vietnam regarded people as the centre, objective and driving force of national development, while education and training are given a top national priority.

Science and technology, innovation and digital transformation, he added, are key drivers for improving labour productivity, national competitiveness and the quality of economic growth.

From education links to joint research and innovation

The top Vietnamese leader noted that Vietnam and New Zealand share a number of development priorities, including education, innovation, green growth and sustainable development.

To make higher and vocational education cooperation more substantive, he proposed that the two sides jointly develop high-quality human resources for the digital, green, circular and knowledge-based economies.

Priority areas could include artificial intelligence, data science, digital technology, cybersecurity, biotechnology, smart agriculture, food technology, renewable energy, environmental technology, public administration and emerging occupations.

He also called for stronger cooperation in research, innovation and knowledge transfer.

Universities and research institutes, he said, should become centres for knowledge creation, connect with businesses and help address development challenges through joint research groups, co-supervision programmes for doctoral students and innovation projects.

The two sides should also expand vocational education and skills development through flexible training programmes, recognition of credits and competencies, workplace training and reskilling for the existing workforce.

Turning agreements into practical results

Another priority highlighted at the forum was turning cooperation agreements into concrete programmes.

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam called for broader exchanges among students, lecturers, scientists, experts and education managers, describing them as important links between the two societies.

He stressed that cooperation in education should ultimately be measured by practical outcomes, including better skills for learners, stronger innovation at educational institutions, a workforce better matched to business needs and greater benefits for society from knowledge and innovation.

He also encouraged education authorities, universities, vocational institutions, research institutes and businesses from both countries to identify priority areas and develop joint projects capable of generating tangible results.

Regular dialogue should also be maintained to ensure that commitments made at the forum are translated into specific programmes with clear objectives, responsible agencies, resources, outputs and evaluation mechanisms.

Representatives of several Vietnamese and New Zealand universities exchanged cooperation documents at the forum, providing a practical foundation for expanding education and human resource cooperation between the two countries.

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