Australia Vietnam Policy Institute

AVPI SUMMARY PAPER – The AVPI is thrilled to release the Australia Vietnam Policy Institute Conference 2024 (AVPI24) Summary Paper. Held last October, AVPI24 provided an opportunity to examine the evolving Australia-Vietnam relationship and explore critical and timely issues under the theme ‘Embracing transition, transformation and trust.’ This summary paper seeks to capture and explore the key themes that emerged from the conference. It focuses on how Australia and Vietnam are positioning themselves for mutual growth and resilience and provides recommendations for policy interventions. Read the paper on the AVPI website: https://lnkd.in/grheGFSK

The AVPI is pleased to announce our first Knowledge Partner of 2025, FPT, through its Australasian subsidiary, FPT Australasia FPT is a global technology and IT services provider headquartered in Vietnam, with a revenue of USD 2.17 billion (2023) and 48,000 employees. For over 15 years, FPT has been assisting Australian and New Zealand businesses in staying ahead of their industries by delivering tailored technology solutions that enhance competitiveness and optimise efficiency. The company is recognised as a trusted partner to organisations of all sizes across diverse sectors, including ASX200 companies. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ghZj98Ms FPT Software

The AVPI would like to wish our Knowledge Partners and network a happy holiday season. As 2024 comes to a close, we would like to express our thanks for the ongoing support across all our activities. It has been an incredibly impactful year, highlighted by the announcement of the Australia-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). We are proud to have had to opportunity to support the CSP and celebrate many achievements together. We look forward to seeing what 2025 will bring for the bilateral relationship and reconnecting with you again in the new year.

The AVPI is thrilled to introduce our new Knowledge Partner, the University of Tasmania.   Founded in 1890, University of Tasmania is one of the oldest and most respected universities in Australia and is situated across multiple campuses in Tasmania.   University of Tasmania courses and programs are designed to be internationally relevant, underpinned by strong partnerships with industries and other universities worldwide. The University, ranked No.1 for Climate Action, is committed to combating climate change and promoting sustainability. The university's initiatives emphasise sustainable development and environmental stewardship in both education and research.   We are excited to collaborate with our new Knowledge Partner to support the Australia-Vietnam relationship.   Read more here: https://lnkd.in/d53BtQUc

The Australia Vietnam Policy Institute (AVPI) extends our sincere gratitude to Andrew Goledzinowski, Australia’s Ambassador to Vietnam, as his tenure concludes. Ambassador Goledzinowski's work has been pivotal in supporting and strengthening the Australia-Vietnam relationship, as demonstrated by the announcement of the Australia-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership earlier this year. In addition to his role as Australia’s Ambassador to Vietnam, he has also been a valuable member of the AVPI Advisory Board. The AVPI would like to thank him for his remarkable achievements. His support and leadership have been critical to our work, and we are deeply grateful for his invaluable contributions. Read Ambassador Goledzinowski's reflections below.  

FELLOW ARTICLE – 'Unlocking Potential: A Guide for Australian Businesses in Vietnam' by AVPI Fellow, Cong-Thang HUYNH EMBA is now available on the AVPI website. This article delves into Vietnam’s booming market potential across agribusiness, education, infrastructure, and finance. It offers valuable insights into navigating local regulations and highlights exciting opportunities for Australian businesses seeking to expand into Vietnam. Download the full article on the AVPI website: https://lnkd.in/gJF4KQt9

AVPI SUMMARY PAPER – The AVPI, together with the Victorian Government, has released a summary paper titled, ‘Digital Cities: Leveraging Digital Transformation in Smart and Sustainable Urban Solutions’. The paper was launched last Friday in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) during an AVPI roundtable on digital transformation and megacity governance. It highlights the importance of digitisation and digital knowledge sharing, interdisciplinary collaboration, innovation, and strategic partnerships in achieving inclusive and resilient urban environments. The summary paper draws on insights from a roundtable held earlier in May at the AVPI Front Door, in collaboration with the Victorian Government. This roundtable facilitated by Louise Adams, COO at Aurecon and Australia’s Southeast Asia Business Champion for Vietnam, featured Mr Phan Van Mai, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, alongside senior leaders from the HCMC, Victorian and Australian Governments, academics from the RMIT Centre for Urban Research, and industry leaders. The Victorian and HCMC Governments are actively engaged in ongoing digital transformation efforts. This paper highlights their mutual focus in leveraging digital technologies, data, and collaborative frameworks to address urban challenges and propel sustainable development agendas in both Victoria and HCMC. Read the summary paper on the AVPI website: https://lnkd.in/gNj7twnn

The AVPI is pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) Institute for Development Studies (HIDS) in HCMC last Friday, 29 November 2024. This significant milestone marks AVPI’s first strategic partnership. The AVPI-HIDS MOU aims to support ties between Australia and Vietnam by promoting two-way knowledge exchange, research and policy consultation, and collaboration in key areas such as clean and green economy, digital transformation, energy transition, and policy development. As AVPI’s major supporter, Saskia Loer Hansen, Deputy Vice Chancellor, International and Engagement at RMIT University and Interim General Director at RMIT University Vietnam, was invited to sign the MOU alongside Dr Truong Minh Huy Vu, Director at HIDS. The signing followed a roundtable on digital transformation and megacity governance, hosted by Louise Adams, COO at Aurecon, Australia’s Business Champion for Vietnam, and AVPI Advisory Board Member, at Aurecon’s HCMC office. The AVPI-HIDS MOU is part of the AVPI’s commitment to supporting the Australia-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Last week, the Australia Vietnam Policy Institute (AVPI) hosted members of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh's Communist Youth Union (Trung ương Đoàn TNCS Hồ Chí Minh). This was the 25th delegation of young political leaders from Vietnam, organised as part of the Australian Political Exchange Council. During this visit, delegates had the opportunity to engage with representatives from AVPI’s major supporter, RMIT University and AVPI Knowledge Partner, Asia Society Australia. Both organisations shared valuable insights into their Asia strategies and regional initiatives. It was also great to welcome the delegation to the AVPI Front Door, co-located with Asia Society Australia at the RMIT Asia Trade and Innovation Hub. This visit offered a valuable opportunity to highlight the initiatives of the AVPI and reaffirm our commitment to deepening collaboration between Australia and Vietnam.

FELLOW ARTICLE: In her first article for AVPI as one of our 2024-25 Fellows, Binh Le Vandekerckove takes us through a brief history of the strategic and economic relationship between Australia and Vietnam, focusing in on a review of the bilateral trade, investment and merger and acquisition (M&A) activities between the two countries. Full article is available for download on our website - https://lnkd.in/g59kxFCa