Vietnam-Australia Economic Cooperation and Investment Opportunities Forum

"With a stable socio-political environment, improved infrastructure and a population of nearly 100 million, of which 70% are young and educated people, Vietnam will soon become a favourite destination for Australian investors." --Vietnam Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Nguyen Quoc Dung in his special remarks to the forum.

On 2 December, 2021, UTS Faculty of Engineering and IT and the Consulate General of Vietnam in Sydney co-hosted a forum supported in part by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Australia-Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Grant Program (AVEG): Vietnam – Australia Economic Cooperation and Investment Opportunities.

"Vietnam's IT industry has been developing impressively. Many global technology giants have chosen Vietnam as a reliable partner. In 2020 alone, Vietnam exported about $100 billion (USD) worth of high-tech products."-- Dr. Nguyen Huu Le, an Australian-Vietnamese, Director of TMA Solutions.

The forum garnered great interest from prospective partners in Vietnam for Australian businesses and investors in areas such as rescue drones, hydrogen energy, waste management solutions and many more. More than eighty Australian participants from DFAT, Austrade, investment bodies, business associations and companies connected virtually with Vietnamese representatives from different provinces, business associations and companies seeking cooperation with Australian partners. In total, more than 200 Australian and Vietnamese representatives attended the hybrid event in-person and via Zoom sessions.

With a vision for global impact, UTS has been working with various partners in Vietnam over the last few years, including two Joint Research Centres in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. By partnering with local universities, industry and governments, UTS professors and scientists have delivered various pilot projects that are mutually beneficial to both Australia and Vietnam. This UTS strategy aligns with the 2018 Australia-Vietnam Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership and 2019 Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy. The UTS partnership model represents bilateral engagements with Vietnam – an emerging powerhouse of industry and technology. We are contributing to the development and employment of a highly-skilled workforce in Vietnam as we help identify and support the next generation of researchers for academia and for industry.

“The success of the forum again demonstrates Vietnam’s interest in and demand for Australia’s innovative technologies and investment. I am very glad that the UTS Joint Research Centres in Vietnam, the first of their kind between Australia and Vietnam, are unleashing the potential of these opportunities for both Australian and Vietnamese partners. It is especially pleasing to see the collaboration around the emerging technology areas of AI, IoT, Robotics and clean energy.”--Prof. Ian Burnett, Dean of Faculty of Engineering and IT, UTS.