The launch of the UK–Viet Nam EmpowerTNE Network took place in the context that Viet Nam and the UK have just upgraded their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, in which education, science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation are key pillars of cooperation. The two sides agreed to step up academic exchanges, encourage the development of joint programmes, and strengthen English-language capacity in the education system.
The event brought together representatives of regulatory bodies, universities, education organisations, and the business community both at home and abroad, demonstrating the strong commitment of both sides to promoting cooperation in education and training.
In the context of the upgraded bilateral cooperation, the UK–Viet Nam EmpowerTNE Network is positioned as a connectivity infrastructure for policy, academia, and resources, creating a regular coordination mechanism between Vietnamese and UK regulators and universities and international organisations, with a view to standardising and improving the quality of TNE delivery in line with international practice.
The network’s core activities include: enhancing the capacity of training institutions to run TNE programmes through experience-sharing, staff training, and completing operating toolkits and quality-assurance benchmarks; expanding academic exchange; promoting joint programmes, credit recognition, student and staff mobility, and co-supervision of research; and strengthening policy dialogue to help standardise procedures, promote digital transformation, and make more effective use of resources between the two education systems.
In its first year of operation, Associate Professor Dr Nguyen Phu Khanh, Deputy General Director of Phenikaa University, was elected by member institutions as the chairman of the UK–Viet Nam EmpowerTNE Network.
At present, the network has 12 member universities: Ha Noi University of Science and Technology; Ton Duc Thang University; Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education; Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology; National Economics University; University of Economics and Law (Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City); Banking Academy; Foreign Trade University; University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City; University of Economics and Finance – International University (Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City); FPT University – Greenwich Viet Nam; and Phenikaa University.
With its role as chair of the network, Phenikaa University will take on general coordination in the start-up phase, helping to orient and promote the UK–Viet Nam EmpowerTNE Network’s activities in a substantive and effective manner.
Associate Professor Dr Nguyen Phu Khanh shared: “In the coordinating role in the first year, we commit to working closely with the British Council, the Ministry of Education and Training, member universities, and the wider TNE community so that the network’s activity plan can be implemented smoothly while bringing tangible value to learners, lecturers, and participating institutions.”
James Shipton, Country Director, British Council Viet Nam, said that the initiative to establish the UK–Viet Nam EmpowerTNE Network is one of the British Council’s efforts under its TNE Strategy 2025-2027, aiming to build a strong TNE community to improve education quality, increase equitable access for Vietnamese students to UK-awarded learning opportunities, and promote partnership for mutual benefit.
The network is designed around five main operating pillars: NetworkTNE — establishing the network and its operating mechanism; TrainTNE — building capacity for TNE implementation; ConnectTNE — creating new partnerships between the UK, Viet Nam and the regional TNE community; ActTNE — promoting student mobility and practice-based activities; and ThinkTNE — policy dialogue and knowledge-sharing.
Following the launch ceremony, the network will review and assess proposed activities under the five pillars in order to agree on an implementation plan for 2025-2026. Practical activities will commence right from the fourth quarter of 2025, targeting initial results in the first half of 2026.
