Vietnam and Australia have signed an agreement on education cooperation, hoping to greatly benefit both sides’ socio-economic development.

Addressing the signing ceremony in Hanoi on October 24, Vietnamese Minister of Education and Training Pham Vu Luan affirmed that development in education cooperation between the two countries has been growing for decades.

The two sides have effectively tapped the Australian Government’s Development Scholarships programme which is giving about 400 sets each year to Vietnamese students, accounting for one third of Australia’s annual non-refundable aid to Vietnam, he said.

In addition, a number of Vietnamese universities have been partnering with the Australian side in tertiary education and higher education programmes.

For his part, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Hugh Borrowman asserted his country is always ready to support Vietnam in the field, saying the presence of thousands of Vietnamese students, particularly post-graduates, in Australia is vivid evidence of the fine cooperation.

He expressed his hope that the struck agreement will help student and teacher exchanges further thrive, with a remarkable increase of Australian students studying in Vietnam.

The priorities of the deal are higher education cooperation, e-training, English teaching, and education for ethnic minorities.

The deal marks a new milestone in education and training links between the two countries, improving mutual understanding along with consolidating their friendship.-VNA