Vietnam always attaches great importance to strengthening its Strategic Partnership with the United Kingdom, with education and training cooperation playing a key role, said Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long during his meeting with UK Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Frew in Hanoi on August 7.

The meeting was also attended by representatives from the University of Southampton which is ranked among the world's top 100 universities by QS World Rankings, and Navitas Group, a leading global education provider.

“We are seeing increasingly profound and comprehensive mutual trust,” Deputy PM Long noted, adding that among various fields of collaboration, education remains a bright spot in the bilateral relationship.

He expressed hope that Ambassador Frew would continue to serve as a bridge to promote education cooperation between the two countries and to strengthen ties between their educational institutions.

The Deputy PM also called on the UK Embassy to help increase the number of scholarships for Vietnamese students to study in the UK, and to support Vietnam’s efforts in making English a second language nationwide.

Ambassador Frew agreed that the Vietnam–UK relationship is developing strongly across multiple sectors, particularly education and training. He noted that 2025 will mark 15 years since the establishment of the Vietnam–UK Strategic Partnership, and education is set to be a focal point of cooperation, ranging from general and vocational education to English training.

He said that he is proud to have 12,000 Vietnamese students currently studying in the UK, and that many more opportunities are open to Vietnamese students at UK institutions.

The diplomat also commended Vietnam’s strategic direction in human resource development, reflected in four key Politburo resolutions, including Resolution 57 on science and technology development. He affirmed the UK's interest in supporting Vietnam to improve education quality, and pledged continued efforts to increase scholarship opportunities for Vietnamese students.

Representatives from the University of Southampton praised Vietnam’s regulatory environment for welcoming international universities and shared their plans to enhance education partnerships with Vietnam.

In response, Deputy PM Long reaffirmed Vietnam’s focus on implementing its three strategic breakthroughs in institutional reform, infrastructure, and human capital, particularly the development of high-quality human resources.

He held that Vietnam is prioritising the attraction of top international universities to establish campuses in the country, with the goal of having at least two branches of world-class universities by 2030. The aim is to position Vietnam as an attractive destination for international students and reputable higher education institutions.

Deputy PM Long welcomed the University of Southampton’s intention to cooperate in Vietnam and expressed interest in collaboration in areas where Vietnam has growing demand, such as artificial intelligence (AI), innovation, digital transformation, and science and technology.

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