23 July 2020 at 9:00 am
New Zealand and Viet Nam commit to strategic education partnership
The renewal of a Strategic Engagement Plan on Education will see the education relationship between the two countries prosper with a rich, two-way exchange of knowledge, students, and skills under a number of initiatives.
A refreshed Strategic Engagement Plan on Education was signed this week between Education New Zealand (ENZ) and Viet Nam’s Ministry of Education and Training.
The signing – ahead of a virtual leaders’ meeting between Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Viet Nam Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc – marks the elevation of the two countries’ relationship to a ‘strategic partnership’ and heralds a deeper level of education cooperation.
The renewed Strategic Engagement Plan 2020-2023 will feature initiatives across education sectors in New Zealand and Viet Nam, including joint programmes in the tertiary sector, innovative education models in blended and online delivery, continued collaboration to improve institution-to-institution partnerships for English language training, and alumni engagement.
Among the refreshed plan’s proposed initiatives are innovative education models in blended and online delivery, which will be particularly relevant to how New Zealand and Viet Nam build on their education relationship in a post COVID-19 environment.
New Zealand will continue its commitment to support Viet Nam’s efforts in achieving its 21st century education objectives to produce well-trained, work-ready graduates with the skills necessary to compete in a rapidly changing global market.
ENZ Chief Executive, Grant McPherson, said the Strategic Engagement Plan’s renewal provides an important opportunity to leverage and build on the longstanding education partnership between New Zealand and Viet Nam.
“We value the vibrancy and richness that Vietnamese students bring to New Zealand campuses and communities, and we’ve been thrilled to see the growing number of students from Viet Nam choosing to study in New Zealand in recent years.
“While COVID-19 has presented us with challenges, we are looking forward to welcoming Vietnamese students into New Zealand when it is safe for to do so, including through initiatives such as the New Zealand Schools Scholarships and the New Zealand Scholarships programme for postgraduate students.”
The New Zealand Ambassador to Viet Nam, Wendy Matthews, said it was fitting to see the re-commitment to the Strategic Engagement Plan in 2020, which marks the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and Viet Nam.
“The New Zealand-Viet Nam relationship has gone from strength to strength in recent years and education has been an integral part of this growth. I am delighted to see New Zealand institutions embarking on new ventures with education partners in Viet Nam – together they are developing innovative and student centric approaches. As we celebrate 45 years of diplomatic relations in 2020, I’m confident today’s signing will serve as an effective platform to further advance education cooperation between Viet Nam and New Zealand and deliver successful education outcomes for our students.”
