Students of a HCM City university exhibit their products at the Career Consulting Day held in the city by Hoa Sen University earlier this month. — VNS Photo Gia Lộc

HCM CITY — Education and training are vital to the socio-economic development of countries, including Việt Nam, Văn Kim Hoàng Hà, vice dean of the faculty of oriental studies at the HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanities, told a conference in HCM City on Friday.

Therefore, "reforming higher education is one of the tasks to achieve the national strategy on global integration and implement international agreements," she said.

"Education and training are important links between Việt Nam and other countries," she said.

Dr Anita Clapano-Oblina, senior education specialist at the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisations-Regional Training Centre, said that "the English language is the vehicle of globalisation".

With its rapid economic growth, Việt Nam is integrating into the international economy, and increasingly becoming a major destination for foreign investors, leading to a critical demand for English as a tool to communicate and deepen its integration, according to the specialist.

So it is an urgent need to teach its people English communication skills so that they are engaged in the arena of globalisation as individuals and as a nation.

"English education in Việt Nam should be strengthened and reinforced. It is not a choice, but a necessity," she added.

“Việt Nam has several government projects to promote English education for teachers to enhance the English communication skills of students.

“The journey is hard, challenging and frustrating. But the journey must continue.”

The conference, titled ‘The Impact of Education Development Policies on Economic Growth and Sustainable Development: Sharing Experiences between Việt Nam and Africa-Middle East Countries’, was held by the Southern Institute of Social Sciences and Institute for Africa and Middle East Studies. — VNS