General Directorate of Vocational Training (GDVT) and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the two sides on Tuesday. — Photo from the British Embassy in Việt Nam

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the British Embassy in Việt Nam held a seminar in Hà Nội on Tuesday to promote bilateral cooperation in vocational education.

The event was the first official activity to realise the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on vocational education cooperation signed by the two Governments on April 5, 2022, which is also the first of its kind at the Government level between Việt Nam and an international partner.

Speaking at the event,  Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Lê Tấn Dũng said the event takes place at a time when Việt Nam and the UK are celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties, which is an important milestone in the context that the UK-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement already took effect.

However, developing a workforce that meets the requirements of the international market remains a challenge for Việt Nam as its level of human resources is low compared to that in the region and the world, he said.

British Ambassador to Việt Nam Iain Frew, for his part, said as a recent dialogue partner, the UK chose Việt Nam as a priority country in the ASEAN education strategy. The UK looked forward to building its reputation both in the wider region and bilaterally with friends like Việt Nam, as a long-term and reliable partner.

Following three discussions, the UK agreed to assist Việt Nam in supporting policy at the macro level by sharing lessons on promoting business participation in vocational education. The UK will also assist in promoting digital technology in online training, developing skills relevant to the fourth industrial revolution, and quality assurance and accreditation of vocational education. The English curricula and cooperation between vocational education institutions of the two countries are also part of the package under the agreement.

On this occasion, the General Directorate of Vocational Training (GDVT) and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) signed an MoU on cooperation.

Accordingly, the ACCA will help the GDVT build training and capacity-building programmes for accounting and business lecturers in colleges up to international standards. This will equip learners with knowledge and skills to work at a high level in the fields of accounting, management and finance. Assistance between the two will also provide knowledge and experience in vocational training associated with the needs of enterprises in general and in the field of accounting and business in particular.

At the same time, the UK will help Vietnamese colleges deploy training programmes and exams to grant the International Diploma in Accounting and Business up to UK standards, as well as connect with enterprises that have a demand for qualified human resources in the fields of accounting, finance and business. — VNS