Participants at the meeting between the Ministry of Health and representatives of IMC Krems University of Applied Sciences on Tuesday in Hà Nội. — Photo moh.gov.vn

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Minister of Health Nguyễn Tri Thức has told ministry departments to work closely with local universities and training institutions to assess and develop areas of cooperation with IMC Krems University of Applied Sciences, paving the way for a memorandum of understanding between the two sides.

The direction was delivered on Tuesday afternoon at the Ministry of Health headquarters in Hà Nội during a meeting with Heinz Boyer, Principal of IMC Krems University of Applied Sciences, Austria.

Thức said that the cooperation should focus on undergraduate and postgraduate training in nursing, healthcare and medicine; joint and collaborative scientific research; student and faculty exchanges; development of research projects; and expanding academic cooperation, research partnerships and joint training programmes.

Welcoming the IMC Krems delegation at the meeting, Thức highlighted the significant progress Việt Nam’s health sector has made in scientific research and practical application, driven by proactive, coordinated and innovative approaches to healthcare workforce training.

He praised the value of international collaboration and student exchanges between Việt Nam and other countries, including Austria, and commended IMC Krems for its strong reputation in health sciences, nursing and healthcare management.

Thức said that the minitry welcomes all contributions to the development of the nation’s medical workforce, which he said plays a vital role in improving community wellbeing and socio-economic progress.

The ministry always creates favourable conditions in accordance with Vietnamese law and international practices towards sustainable development and innovation in cooperation between Austria and Việt Nam in the field of training medical human resources.

Principal Boyer expressed his appreciation for the warm reception from Thức and ministry officials.

Boyer outlined IMC Krems’ strengths, notably in language education and nursing training.

Boyer noted the school’s existing partnerships with several Vietnamese universities aimed at advancing the internationalisation of education and promoting impactful research.

Boyer also proposed a new training initiative that combines advanced language education with medical training, based on a model currently implemented at IMC Krems in Austria.

During the discussion, representatives of the ministry emphasised that Việt Nam is prioritising the development of a high-quality healthcare workforce to meet the demands of international integration and digital transformation.

Therefore, European-standard training models are an important reference point, and have been promoted by the ministry through the Administration of Science, Technology and Training and the Department of International Cooperation in support of institutions such as Hà Nội Medical University, Nam Định University of Nursing and other medical-training centres nationwide.

Information about IMC Krems’ training capacity, research strengths and international reputation in health sciences and nursing was described as a valuable reference for Vietnamese institutions as they expand future cooperation.— VNS