Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung has suggested the NAB Innovation Centre Vietnam (NAB Vietnam) expand its network of representative offices to other major cities and innovation hubs such as Da Nang, Hai Phong and Can Tho.
Receiving leaders of the centre, part of the National Australia Bank (NAB) Technology & Enterprise Operations division, on March 5, the Deputy PM also proposed that the centre broaden its training targets and increase the frequency of high-quality technology workforce training programmes in NAB’s areas of strength.
He further suggested the centre consider supporting scholarships as well as internship and research exchange programmes for Vietnamese students and experts at innovation centres within global banking networks.
Dung also encouraged the centre to actively participate in developing Vietnam’s innovation ecosystem by promoting start-up incubation activities, technology transfer and cooperation with universities, research institutes, enterprises and domestic innovation centres.
He proposed NAB continue expanding its investment in Vietnam and mobilise enterprises within its global network to invest in the Southeast Asian country. At the same time, the bank could explore opportunities to participate in the development of Vietnam’s international financial centre in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang City.
The Deputy PM stressed that the Government remains committed to accompanying investors and creating a stable, transparent and favourable investment environment for strategic partners such as NAB to operate and grow sustainably in Vietnam.
At the meeting, General Director Tran Minh Hanh and Board member Alain Cany of the NAB Innovation Centre Vietnam briefed the Deputy PM on the centre’s development process and strategic orientations, while proposing solutions to help NAB engage more actively in government-led forums and initiatives on technology development and innovation.
Dung commended the centre’s achievements, particularly its contributions to developing high-quality technology human resources and supporting Vietnam’s innovation and digital transformation ecosystem.
He noted that since the elevation of Vietnam–Australia ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership two years ago, bilateral relations have continued to develop positively across multiple fields, with economic cooperation remaining a key pillar.
Australia, he said, has maintained its position as one of Vietnam’s leading trade and investment partners. Australian enterprises and investors have also served as important bridges connecting the two economies, linking Vietnam with the Oceania region, contributing positively to the development prospects of both countries and regions.
Vietnam is currently improving its institutions, renewing growth drivers and addressing bottlenecks to establish a new growth model, aiming to achieve economic growth of over 10% and realise its two long-term centennial development goals, Dung said, adding that the country identified science and technology, innovation and digital transformation as breakthroughs and key drivers for development in the new era.
Amid increasingly fierce competition in technology and foreign investment attraction, models such as the NAB Innovation Centre Vietnam play an important role in attracting next-generation, high-quality foreign direct investment, facilitating knowledge and technology transfer, and fostering a deeper innovation ecosystem.
The National Australia Bank is one of Australia’s largest banks, with a history of more than 170 years, over 40,000 employees and more than 10 million customers worldwide.
Established in 2020, the NAB Innovation Centre Vietnam aims to build a high-quality information technology workforce. Since then, it has set up two offices and grown to more than 2,400 staff members.
Over 500 Vietnamese students have participated in specialised training programmes at the centre’s Tech Academy, with about 90% of graduates recruited as engineers at the centre./.
