Vietnam, UK step up academic education cooperation
Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnamese Ministry
of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the British Embassy in Vietnam held
a seminar in Hanoi on February 21 to promote bilateral cooperation in
vocational education.
The
event was the first official activity to realise the Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) on vocational education cooperation signed by the two Governments
on April 5, 2022, which is also the first of its kind at the Government level
between Vietnam and an international partner.
Speaking
at the event, Deputy Minister of Labour,
Invalids and Social Affairs Le Tan Dung said the event takes place at a time
when Vietnam and the UK are celebrating the 50th anniversary of
diplomatic ties, which is an important milestone in the context that the
UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement already took effect.
However, developing a workforce that meets the requirements of the international market remains a challenge for Vietnam as its level of human resources is low compared to that in
the region and the world, he said.
British Ambassador
to Vietnam Iain Frew, for his part, said as a
recent dialogue partner, the UK chose Vietnam as a priority country in
the ASEAN education strategy. The UK looks forward to building its reputation
both in the wider region and bilaterally with friends like Vietnam, as a
long-term and reliable partner.
Following three
discussions, the UK agreed to assist Vietnam in supporting policy at the macro
level by sharing lessons on promoting business participation in vocational
education. The UK will also assist in promoting digital technology in online training, developing skills
relevant to the fourth industrial revolution, and quality assurance and accreditation
of vocational education. The English curricula and cooperation between vocational
education institutions of the two countries is also part of the package under the agreement.
On this occasion, the
General Directorate of Vocational Training (GDVT) and the Association
of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) signed an MoU on cooperation.
Accordingly, the ACCA will help the GDVT build training and capacity-building programmes for accounting and
business lecturers in colleges up to international standards. This will equip learners
with knowledge and skills to work at a high level in the fields of accounting,
management and finance. Assistance between the two will also provide knowledge and experience in vocational training associated
with the needs of enterprises in general and in the field of accounting and
business in particular.
At the same time, the UK will help
Vietnamese colleges deploy training programmes and exams to grant the
International Diploma in Accounting and Business up to UK standards, as well as
connect with enterprises that have a demand for qualified human resources in the
fields of accounting, finance and business./.