The conference and exhibition will take place from February 23 to 27 in Hong Kong (China), expected to draw around 2,500 delegates from more than 65 countries and territories.

First held in Seoul, the Republic of Korea 30 years ago, the APAIE Conference and Exhibition is one of the four largest global events on international education, alongside the NAFSA Annual Conference and Expo (United States), the European Association for International Education (EAIE) Conference (Europe) and the Australian International Education Conference (AIEC).

A milestone for Vietnam’s higher education

The Vietnamese education delegation, led by the Ministry of Education and Training, will officially inaugurate the Vietnam Education Exhibition at APAIE 2026 on February 23.

Vietnam’s first-ever organisation of a national education exhibition at APAIE marks an important step in the international integration of its education sector, particularly higher education. It reflects a shift from individual institutions participating separately to a coordinated, nationally led and more professional approach.

The nation’s key message at the event is to present a dynamic higher education system that prioritises training quality, research development and deeper international integration.

Under the coordination of the Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnamese higher education institutions participating in APAIE 2026 aim to expand international student recruitment and attract leading experts, lecturers, administrators and scientists to work in Vietnam; promote the quality of undergraduate and postgraduate education; strengthen academic exchange and cooperation in faculty and student mobility; enhance the global recognition and reputation of Vietnam’s higher education brand; explore research collaboration and international publication opportunities; and attract international partners and resources for investment and development in education.

Seventeen institutions to participate

The Vietnam Education Exhibition at APAIE 2026 will feature 17 representative higher education institutions and education organisations, thus showing the diversity and strengths of Vietnam’s education system.

Among major and key universities participating are Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, known for its multidisciplinary training, fundamental research and technology transfer, and the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), recognised for strengths in economics, finance and sustainable development.

Institutions in the engineering and technology group include Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology under Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education, Hanoi University of Mining and Geology, and Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH).

International and joint-model universities include RMIT Vietnam, VinUniversity (VinUni), Fulbright University Vietnam, Vietnam Japan University under Vietnam National University Hanoi, Vietnamese-German University, the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), and the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH).

Other participating institutions include the Academy of Finance, Phenikaa University, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education and Van Lang University.

During the event, in addition to hosting the Vietnam Education Exhibition, the delegation will take part in conference sessions, present policies on attracting investment in education and hold bilateral meetings with international partners.

Vietnam has a population of more than 100 million people, with more than 25 million potential learners. Its young demographic structure and rapidly expanding middle class are driving growing demand for high-quality education, particularly at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

While the country has long been one of the leading sources of international students studying in developed countries, it is gradually emerging as a destination for foreign students, supported by competitive tuition costs and education quality recognised in global university rankings such as QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) and Times Higher Education (THE).

Vietnam develops national education for sustainable development initiative

The Ministry of Education and Training and the UNESCO Hanoi Office on November 24 held a consultation workshop on the national education for sustainable development initiative.

Vietnam well-positioned to become hub for international education: scholar

Resolution No. 59-NQ/TW of the Politburo on international integration in the new context is a breakthrough policy that opens up sustainable development opportunities for Vietnam, said Professor Vu Minh Khuong from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.