Vietnamese Prime Minister visits Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Victoria University of Wellington is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in New Zealand. The university offers a wide range of disciplines, including law, politics, economics, communication, humanities, criminology, creative writing, architecture, engineering, and more. Victoria University of Wellington was the first university to implement a dual-degree program with Vietnam, working closely with the Ministry of Education and Training to offer doctoral and research programs in economics. The university also participates in capacity-building programs for Vietnamese government officials, with very successful courses. Victoria University of Wellington continues to closely collaborate with Vietnam to extensively implement educational cooperation programs. Currently, the university has over 200 Vietnamese students, many of whom come from partner institutions such as the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, and the Hanoi Open University.

During his official visit to New Zealand, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with lecturers and students, and delivered a speech at the Victoria University of Wellington. Accompanying him at the event were Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son, Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat, representatives from New Zealand government agencies, researchers, lecturers, and students from Victoria University of Wellington, and especially a large number of Vietnamese students, including many studying in the joint training program between the Diplomatic Academy and Victoria University of Wellington.

In his speech, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính shared three main points: the current global and regional situation; Vietnam's vision and aspirations for development; and the vision for the Vietnam-New Zealand strategic partnership in the coming period. The Prime Minister also expressed his impression of New Zealand as a green, clean, and beautiful country that values education, science, technology, and human resources. He stated that both sides aim to further elevate the Vietnam-New Zealand strategic partnership to new heights, fostering deeper and stronger development in the future. The Prime Minister affirmed that New Zealand is one of Vietnam's most important partners in the region and one of the few strategic partners globally. With the solid foundation of shared interests and the determination of both governments and people, the Prime Minister is confident that the future of the strategic partnership between Vietnam and New Zealand will be increasingly bright.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính's speech at Victoria University of Wellington left a profound impression and motivated the students, helping them recognize the importance of studying to contribute to the country's development and to promote relations between the two countries. Vietnamese students studying in Wellington also received encouragement from the government to pursue their academic and research careers.