National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue speaks at the forum. (Photo: VNA) Addressing aneducation forum held at the University of Waikato in New Zealand’s city of Hamilton,Hue noted that since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties in1975, the Vietnam-New Zealand relationship has been developing constantly,adding that the two countries set up a strategic partnership in 2020, makingVietnam the only strategic partner of New Zealand in Asia-Pacific.
Briefing participants on Vietnam’s achievements over the past time, including those in education, the leader cited the World Bank’s forecast that about 3.5 millionVietnamese students will have demand for higher education by 2035, doubling thefigure in 2019.
He affirmed that educationis one of the most important cooperation areas in the implementation of theaction programme realising the Vietnam-New Zealand strategic partnershipfor 2021-2024.
There are about 2,000Vietnamese students in New Zealand, and about 25 officials from Vietnameseministries and agencies are sent to the country each year for training under acooperation programme between the two nations, Hue said.
The top legislatorsaid within the framework of the visit to Vietnam by New Zealand Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern last month, the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Trainingand the New Zealand Ministry of Education inked a cooperation agreement, whichcreated a legal basis for the two sides to promote educational collaboration atdifferent levels.
He also highlightedthe significance of the educational links to cooperation in other spheres.
According to theleader, out of more than 435 billion USD in foreign direct investment inVietnam, some 5 billion USD has been injected into 500 education projects.
Many of the world’s leadinguniversities have opened their facilities in the Southeast Asian nation, Huesaid, expressing his hope that more New Zealand universities will come toVietnam.
Highlighting Vietnam’sgreat demand for education and training, Hue said he hoped that the forum would open up a new period for educational cooperation between the two countries.
In his remarks, Chancellor of the University of Waikato Anand Satyanand stressed that New Zealandwishes to bolster cooperation with countries in Indo-Pacific in trade, educationand culture, and expects to restore and increase the number of Vietnamese students inthe country as compared the pre-pandemic level.
He viewed educationalcooperation as an effective channel to enhance mutual understanding andpeople-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
Vice-Chancellor ofthe University of Waikato Professor Neil Quigley, who is also President of the NewZealand-Vietnam Friendship Association, emphasised the constant development ofthe bilateral educational ties, saying the Vietnamese government has fullysupported educational cooperation programmes between the two countries.
Sharing Hue’s view,the professor said there remains potential for Vietnam and New Zealand to boosttheir educational cooperation.
Grant McPherson, ChiefExecutive of Education New Zealand, also affirmed that education has remained akey cooperation area between the two countries, and that New Zealand attachesimportance to the exchange of students.
Vietnam is the onlySoutheast Asian country that has established cooperative ties with many major universities of New Zealand, which vividly demonstrates the good relationship betweenthe two countries, he noted.
NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and leaders of the University of Waikato witness the exchange of 10 memoranda of understanding on educational cooperation between the two countries’ universities. (Photo: VNA) On this occasion, theNew Zealand-Vietnam Friendship Association announced its re-establishment after a period of interruption./.
VNA
