Australia’s University of Sydney has announced the establishment of the University of Sydney Vietnam Institute in Vietnam as a multidisciplinary research facility gathering domestic and foreign scientists.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony to launch the University of Sydney Vietnam Institute was conducted on Tuesday in Ho Chi Minh City and a debut event for the institute also took place in Hanoi on Thursday.

As a non-profit social enterprise fully owned by the University of Sydney, the institute has established its head office in Ho Chi Minh City, followed by offices in Hanoi and the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.

The institute focuses on multidisciplinary research in various fields including health, agriculture, business, and Net Zero initiatives, aiming to bring prosperity to both Vietnam and Australia, according to the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam.

Australian researchers will work with Vietnamese collaborators on different projects such as supporting public health efforts and combating tuberculosis in Vietnam, developing emerging technologies for breast cancer diagnosis in the country, and examining the future of the Southeast Asian nation as a media innovation hub, the University of Sydney said on its website.

One of the institute’s goals is to improve in-country scientific capacity and contribute to the region’s socio-economic development, the university said.  

Supported by up to AU$40-45 million (US$26.6 - 29.9 million) in non-profit funding from the Australian government and international donors, the institute will reinvest all its revenue into research activities in Vietnam. 

“We look forward to collaborating with domestic and international organizations and individuals to build a robust platform that enhances multidisciplinary research capacity and improves quality of life for local and global communities,” said Professor Nguyen Thu Anh, executive director of the University of Sydney Vietnam Institute. 

The establishment of the institute has marked an important milestone in the process of promoting scientific research and innovation capacity in Vietnam, Prof. Anh commented.

She also underscored that the institute is one of the first social enterprises with investment capital from Australia to deploy research activities in Vietnam.

Nguyen Ngo Quang, acting director of the Administration of Science, Technology, and Training under the Ministry of Health, said that the institute will contribute to strengthening cooperation in scientific research, technological development, and creative innovation between Vietnam and Australia.

This research facility will also help improve the quality of human resources in scientific research, directly aiding Vietnam's efforts to improve healthcare quality for the people, Quang said.

Within the framework of the launch ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City was the Sydney Vietnam Innovation Symposium, which brought together Australian and Vietnamese university leaders, researchers, and scholars to discuss and share experience from decades of collaboration, aiming to strengthen research and innovation partnerships.

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