After nearly two weeks of intensive study and field surveys at various Australian institutions, the programme was completed as planned, opening many new perspectives on approaches to digital transformation in the public sector.
According to members of the delegation, the programme was thoroughly designed, closely combining theoretical lectures with practical fieldwork. Alongside sessions on big data, cybersecurity, smart cities, and AI governance, the delegation also worked with the Australian Parliament, agencies of the Government of New South Wales, Nokia Group, the UTS TechLab technology centre, and the Sydney Olympic Park smart city. These meetings and site visits helped the delegation gain a clearer understanding of how Australia organises its administrative machinery, builds digital infrastructure, and applies technology in state governance to serve citizens and businesses.
Throughout the course, Australian experts emphasised that digital transformation is not merely the digitisation of administrative procedures, but a comprehensive reform of governance mindset. Process design, system interoperability, and data use, feedback mechanisms and the need to strengthen digital capacity for the civil service together form the foundations for building an efficient digital government. Specifically, ensuring sovereign data, securing supply chain cybersecurity, and governing AI in a transparent manner were viewed as crucial pillars.
At UTS TechLab, the model of collaboration among universities, research institutes, and enterprises left a deep impression. Allowing businesses to set up laboratories and testing lines on campus helps shorten the gap between research and application, offering valuable suggestions for Viet Nam’s high-tech parks as they develop innovation ecosystems.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Huynh Thanh Dat, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Head of the Central Commission for Information and Education and Mass Mobilisation, and Head of the working delegation, highly appreciated UTS’s preparation and the serious learning attitude of the delegation members.
He stressed that the training programme provided a more comprehensive view of public governance in the digital era, offering important insights for participants to apply to policy advisory work, administrative reform, and task implementation in ministries, sectors, and localities. Valuable lessons from Australia, such as models for governing sovereign data, securing cybersecurity from the root of the supply chain, or responsible AI governance — hold practical significance for Viet Nam.
As representatives of the University of Technology Sydney, Professor Eryk Dutkiewicz and Professor Nguyen Ngoc Diep extended their thanks to the Vietnamese delegation and commended the cooperative spirit between the two sides. Professor Eryk Dutkiewicz expressed confidence that the knowledge acquired in the programme would be effectively applied to strategic advisory and planning work in Viet Nam. He also affirmed UTS’s desire to continue expanding cooperation in training and research, emphasising: “Learning is always a two-way process. UTS is ready to accompany Viet Nam in future programmes.”
After the speeches, UTS leaders presented certificates of completion to the trainees. The closing ceremony marked the conclusion of the programme, while also opening new directions for cooperation between Viet Nam and Australia in education, research, and science-technology development, contributing to building a contingent of leaders and managers capable of meeting the demands of national development in the period of accelerated digital transformation.
