Deputy Prime Minister Lê Thành Long (right) and Australian Minister for Education Jason Clare at their meeting in Hà Nội on December 11. — Photo from the Việt Nam Government Portal

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister Lê Thành Long on Thursday highlighted the special and increasingly important role of education-training cooperation within the thriving Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Việt Nam and Australia, while receiving Australian Minister for Education Jason Clare in Hà Nội.

Long welcomed the productive discussions between the two countries’ education ministers and the signing of several important cooperation documents during Clare’s visit.

He said the Ministry of Education and Training of Việt Nam is implementing doctoral and master’s training for lecturers under Scheme 89, and expressed delight that many of those sent for PhD studies have chosen Australia as their destination.

Việt Nam considers education-training a top national policy and aims to build a high-quality workforce to meet development needs, the Deputy PM said. The nation hopes to receive further support and cooperation from international partners, especially traditional ones like Australia, he stated.

The official called on Australia to continue assisting Việt Nam in English-language training to effectively implement its 2025–35 project on making English a second language in schools; to encourage Australian universities to open university campuses in Việt Nam; and to support Vietnamese students studying in Australia. He also suggested stronger cooperation in science-technology and innovation, which are key drivers of Việt Nam's future growth.

For his part, Clare said educational cooperation between Việt Nam and Australia has a long-standing tradition and remains a pillar of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Australia currently hosts around 36,000 Vietnamese students, while some 160,000 Vietnamese have graduated from Australian universities.

The minister voiced strong support for Australian universities expanding their cooperation with Việt Nam.

During his working visit, Clare and Vietnamese Minister of Education and Training Nguyễn Kim Sơn witnessed the signing of an agreement under Scheme 89 between the ministry’s International Cooperation Department and six Australian universities.

Clare expressed his belief that the agreement will further deepen bilateral education cooperation, and reaffirmed Australia’s readiness to support Việt Nam in implementing its project to make English a second language in schools. — VNA/VNS