The event was attended by the Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria, Vu Le Thai Hoang; Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister, Member of the Provincial Government and Minister for Education, Family, and Social Affairs of Lower Austria; Mayor of Krems, Peter Molnar; and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of IMC Krems University, Heinz Boyer.
The 30 graduates were among 150 Vietnamese training taking part in the Pflegeprojekt Viet Nam (Viet Nam Nursing Project), initiated by the State of Lower Austria to address the growing demand for healthcare staff in response to an ageing population.
Their journey began in Viet Nam with intensive German language training, followed by professional education at the International Nursing Centre and practical experience in facilities run by the Health Agency of Lower Austria (NÖ Landesgesundheitsagentur).
Trained to Austrian standards, they are now set to begin professional roles in care homes and long-term care services across Lower Austria, strengthening teams and supporting quality care where it is most needed.
This programme is regarded as one of the most advanced, high-quality, and comprehensive nursing and care training and recruitment models in Europe today. Its aim is to prepare nurses and carers who are not only highly skilled but also fluent in German, familiar with local culture, and well-integrated into the community.
Vietnamese trainees have been praised as intelligent, diligent, friendly, and professional, and are developing comprehensively and integrating successfully. They are seen as a valuable source of skilled labour alongside approximately 4,000 nurses and carers currently working in the state. IMC Krems University also plans to expand training to include nurses in the future.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang commended the efforts of the Vietnamese trainees and the dedication of the university’s teaching staff. He described the graduation as a well-directed and successful start to the project, opening up new opportunities for skilled labour cooperation and vocational training between Viet Nam and Lower Austria in particular, and Austria more broadly.
He highlighted that this collaboration is especially promising in sectors where Vietnam has strengths and Austria has significant demand, such as nursing, care, hospitality management, information technology, mechanics, construction, and agriculture.
The Ambassador added that the graduation represents a successful realisation of the Vietnam–Austria Forum on Skilled Labour and Vocational Training, held in Krems in December 2025.
