Australian Chargé d’Affaires, Mark Tattersall views display booths of businesses founded and operated by Australian alumni in Việt Nam.

HÀ NỘI — More than 500 Vietnamese alumni who have studied in Australia joined the Aussie Alumni Reunion in Hà Nội on Friday.

The event celebrated alumni’s contributions to Việt Nam’s development, the deepening relationship between Australia and Việt Nam and the role of Australian education in supporting Việt Nam’s continued inclusive growth.

Having graduated with Australian qualifications across a range of fields, the alumni are now sharing their expertise in Việt Nam’s public, private, and civil society sectors, said the Australian Embassy in Hà Nội in a press release issued on Saturday.

"Many are making important contributions in government agencies, have set up their own businesses, or have established organisations to support women and other vulnerable groups," it said.

Australian Chargé d’Affaires, Mark Tattersall said, “The calibre of our Australian alumni in Việt Nam is outstanding. I’m truly impressed with how they are using the benefits of a world class Australian education to contribute to Việt Nam’s development”.

The event also launched the 2023 Australian Alumni Awards, to recognise and celebrate alumni.

The Awards honour alumni and their different types of contributions to Việt Nam, including in social and climate action, business and innovation, and female leadership.

The reunion also showcased products by 13 alumni businesses, including financial services, Vietnamese agricultural products, and cyber technology.

Bạch Thị Thanh Vân, alumna of Monash University and owner of Bach Hop Ancient Rice JSC, said “Thanks to our study experience in Australia, we are used to working in a flexible environment and were able to adapt our company’s operation amid the disruption caused by COVID-19. We quickly moved our marketing and communication to online channels, maintain connection with partners and customers, and successfully delivered our products.”

Nguyễn Quang Thuân, alumnus of the University of New South Wales and founder of FiinGroup, said: “Education in Australia allowed me to expand my perspective while living and interacting in a multicultural environment.

Most valuably, this experience allowed me to formulate business ideas for building up a leading company in financial data analytics and credit rating agency in Việt Nam.”

#AussieAlumniReunion2022 showcases a dynamic network of alumni in Việt Nam. Photos courtesy of Australian embassy in Hà Nội

Australia, through Aus4Skills, supports alumni on their return to Việt Nam to implement community projects that contribute to Việt Nam’s development.

Eleven outstanding alumni-led projects were highlighted at the reunion, tackling social inclusion, climate change, women empowerment, and sustainable agriculture.

A dynamic network of over 80,000 alumni of Australian education is in Việt Nam, demonstrating the strong relationship between the two countries. VNS