Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, at a meeting in Hanoi on Monday with representatives of 21 prestigious U.S. universities participating in the 2025 International Academic Partnership Program in Vietnam, suggested that Vietnamese and U.S. universities collaborate closely to develop long-term, sustainable, practical, and effective cooperation plans.

The 2025 International Academic Partnership Program is jointly organized by the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam, the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training, and the U.S. Institute of International Education to support the collaboration of universities from both countries in various fields such as STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), digital transformation, green transition, AI, and semiconductors.

PM Chinh said that after many ups and downs, Vietnam and the U.S. officially upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2023. 

The Vietnam-U.S. relationship is seen as a model in international relations, with educational cooperation identified as an important pillar that has achieved many results.

Appreciating Vietnam’s development strategy, especially in education and training, U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper and representatives from U.S. universities expressed their readiness to cooperate with the country in education and training, science and technology, innovation, and manpower quality improvement.

Representatives from both countries' universities proposed that the governments support the connection between the two education systems and implement educational and training cooperation programs, particularly in student and lecturer exchanges as well as joint training and research programs.

Appreciating such opinions, PM Chinh expressed confidence that the cooperation desires and determination expressed during the meeting would soon be realized through specific cooperation projects and programs.

He emphasized that Vietnam is striving for an eight-percent growth rate by 2025, paving the way for double-digit growth. 

Vietnam is focusing on reorganizing the administrative apparatus, reforming administrative procedures, and shifting to a more active approach in serving residents and businesses.

The development of science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation is seen as a breakthrough and a new driving force, with the private sector being the most important driver of economic development. Education and training play an extremely important role.

Universities from both sides should strengthen cooperation, focusing on new fields such as ocean space, outer space, and underground space exploration, said the prime minister. 

He urged the U.S. to consider expanding scholarship programs and tuition fee discounts for Vietnamese students and researchers.

As major U.S. corporations such as Intel, NVIDIA, and Apple have explored and expanded their ecosystems in Vietnam, the prime minister suggested that universities from both sides launch specific cooperation programs, especially in high technology, AI, semiconductors, biotechnology, healthcare, agriculture, foreign languages, and high-quality human resource training to meet the requirements of businesses of both countries.

Vietnam is striving to balance trade with the U.S. and maintain sustainable economic cooperation through various solutions, including reducing taxes on U.S. products, such as wood and agricultural products, along with importing more aircraft, liquefied natural gas, and hi-tech products.

PM Chinh hoped that university leaders would urge the Trump administration to early recognize Vietnam as a market economy, remove restrictions on Vietnam’s hi-tech exports, and reduce policies that could affect the economic and trade relations between Hanoi and Washington, thereby creating conditions for Vietnam’s continued development.

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