Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ addressed the Việt Nam-UK Education Collaboration Forum on June 30. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

LONDON — The Vietnamese National Assembly supports the development of the Việt Nam-UK strategic partnership, which was established in 2010, said Chairman of the National Assembly Vương Đình Huệ at the Việt Nam-UK Education Collaboration Forum held at Imperial College London on Thursday.

Addressing the forum, Huệ said education was a leading national policy in Việt Nam, identified as one of the three breakthroughs in its socio-economic development strategy. Việt Nam spends 20 per cent of its national budget on education and training.

He said Việt Nam was determined to carry out international integration and promote foreign investment in education.

Việt Nam has attracted more than 500 foreign-funded educational projects worth US$4 billion in total. Despite challenges and difficulties, much room remains for investment in Việt Nam’s education sector, he said.

He said he hoped bilateral educational cooperation would get stronger and recommended the two sides step up exchanges of students and lecturers and collaboration of their universities.

He said the British Government continue to support English teaching and learning in Việt Nam, share related resources, and increase scholarships for Vietnamese students.

The NA Chairman said that Việt Nam would create all possible conditions for prestigious British schools to open branches in Việt Nam soon.

He asked the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training to work closely with the UK’s education body and universities association and the Vietnamese Embassy further to foster educational ties.

Deputy Speaker of the UK House of Commons Steve Smith said education was among the UK’s top priorities in cooperation with Việt Nam. 12,000 Vietnamese students study in the UK, and there are 40 UK-funded education projects in Việt Nam.

He said the UK would Việt Nam’s efforts to strengthen English language training, develop the quality of English-language teachers, assess English proficiency, and digitise for more inclusive education. 

Smith said the UK wanted to assist Việt Nam’s development of key industries such as science, technology and innovation.

In 2020, in a signed joint statement, the UK pledged to support the education reform strategy of the Vietnamese Government.

In April this year, the sides signed a memorandum of understanding for educational cooperation between the two countries focused on vocational training. — VNS