Vietnam values its cooperation on training and education with international partners, including the European Union, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Bui Van Ga said in his speech at the EU–Vietnam higher education policy forum in Hanoi on November 14.

With a population of over 90 million, Vietnam has 21 million students and 1.2 million teachers. The Government spends 20 percent of the total annual budget on education and training, Ga said.

The deputy minister highlighted the significance of international integration for education in Vietnam, making it easier to transfer technology and expertise.

By August 2014, more than 400 joint training programmes with international partners had been approved and launched at Vietnamese universities. The number of Vietnamese students studying overseas jumped from 60,000 in 2008 to 100,000 in 2012, with around 80 percent enrolled in Bachelor degrees.

Talking points during the forum included the internationalisation of university education, the new model of the premium university, and linking education with socio-economic development.

Following the policy forum, the European Higher Education Fair Vietnam takes place in Hanoi on November 15-16, bringing together 80 universities and educational institutions from 23 EU member states.

Head of the EU delegation in Vietnam, Ambassador Franz Jessen, said the fair will provide an opportunity for Vietnamese students to find out about scholarships and suitable universities.-VNA