Hanoi (VNA) - In a meeting with Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son on October 3, New Zealand Ambassador Caroline Beresford expressed interest in welcoming Vietnamese officials and educators to New Zealand to study under Vietnam’s Project 89, which aims to enhance the capacity of lecturers and administrators of tertiary education institutions, in line with Vietnam’s education reforms for the 2019-2030 period.
Ambassador Beresford highlighted that education is a key focus of the cooperation between New Zealand and Vietnam. She suggested that both nations collaborate to identify new areas of focus in education to deepen their bilateral relationship.
“New Zealand is well-known for its high school programs for international students, and we look forward to welcoming more Vietnamese high school students in the future,” the Ambassador said. She also noted that New Zealand is one of the few countries offering scholarships to Vietnamese students at the high school level.
The Ambassador explained that student diversity is crucial for providing high-quality education. She emphasised that the opportunity for New Zealand students to study alongside Southeast Asian students enriches the educational experience and improves the overall quality of education.
New Zealand currently offers a range of support programs for Vietnam, including the New Zealand-ASEAN Scholarships, the English Language Training for Officials (ELTO) program, short-term scholarships for officials to learn from New Zealand’s experiences, as well as government scholarships for high school students. The Ambassador also mentioned the Prime Minister's Scholarship Program for Asia.
Additionally, Ambassador Beresford pointed out that New Zealand continues to offer fully-funded PhD scholarships, with an option for applicants' families to accompany them.
The Ambassador introduced two scholarships for Vietnamese civil servants in 2025 to study leadership in public administration in New Zealand for one month.
Regarding the Ambassador’s proposal on Project 89, Minister Son said Vietnam also wishes to send candidates to pursue PhDs in New Zealand, especially in fields like new technologies and high-tech industries, which are in high demand in Vietnam.
He also mentioned that several Vietnamese universities are expanding their high-tech programs and requested the Ambassador’s support in facilitating partnerships between educational institutions in both countries.
Beyond higher education, Minister Son sought the New Zealand ambassador’s assistance in fostering closer cooperation between Vietnamese general education schools and New Zealand counterparts, especially as Vietnam continues to reform its general education system.
Minister Son recalled the agreement on education cooperation between the two governments that was signed during the official visit of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the high-level Vietnamese delegation to New Zealand in March 2024. He said the Ministry of Education and Training is already working to implement the initiatives outlined in the agreement.
The minister expressed confidence that, during the term of Ambassador Beresford, cooperation in education and training between the two countries will continue to thrive.
New Zealand has eight universities and all of which are known for their high standards, Ambassador Beresford said, adding that five of these institutions have already established cooperation programs in Vietnam. The remaining three arre also holding talks with potential partners. Additionally, New Zealand’s secondary schools and technical institutes are exploring collaboration opportunities with their Vietnamese counterparts./.
