UQ strengthens ties with Vietnam during Chancellor’s visit

Chancellor of The University of Queensland (UQ), Peter Varghese AO, visited Vietnam to participate in celebrations to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations and to strengthen UQ’s institutional ties in Vietnam.

On Saturday 3 June, Mr Varghese attended a reception with the Prime Minister, The Hon Anthony Albanese MP, as well as Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski, and key figures in the Australia Vietnam business relationship. 

The leaders discussed expanding bilateral cooperation across a range of sectors, with an emphasis on trade, education, cultural, and tourism ties.

During the visit, Mr Varghese presented a public lecture on Australia’s regional outlook, hosted by Hanoi University (HANU).

He said more than 500 Vietnamese students had enrolled at UQ in the past five years, and most had since returned home to live and work in Vietnam.

“Bilateral cooperation between Australia and Vietnam in the education sector produces benefits that flow in both directions between our two nations,” Mr Varghese said.

“Many of these students come to UQ to study in areas such as business, economics, law, medicine, engineering, and IT. So, they are returning with the knowledge and skills to make a meaningful contribution to Vietnam’s future prosperity, as well as the nation’s economic and social development.

“Their formative experiences of studying in Australia will undoubtedly deepen the people-to-people links between our two nations – and create fertile ground for the further development of future economic, cultural and trade exchanges.”

The Chancellor highlighted the University’s deepening research partnerships with a number of Vietnamese institutions.

“These collaborative research projects are focused on sharing knowledge across a range of important areas – from adopting more sustainable approaches to mining, to improving the capacity of the health system, and cultivating the local innovation ecosystem,” he said.

During the visit, UQ signed a new agreement with HANU to strengthen and expand ties in the humanities and social sciences, including research projects and co-publications in the areas of education, and languages and cultures.

The delegation from UQ visited Vietnam to explore new ways to collaborate and opportunities to leverage UQ’s expertise.

Read the transcript of Mr Varghese’s lecture at HANU.

Read more about UQ’s links with Vietnam.

Media: UQ Communications, communications@uq.edu.au, +61 429 056 139.