Promoting Vietnam - Australia - New Zealand Public Governance Cooperation: Expanding Linkages in Public Sector Leadership Training

The ANZSOG and VAC delegation attending the meeting included: Ms. Estrellita Boskovic (Elly), First Secretary of the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, Head of Delegation; Dr. Anneke Schmider, Director of Global Initiatives at ANZSOG, Deputy Head of Delegation; along with representatives from the Australian Embassy in Vietnam and various experts and project officers.

Representing the Academy of Public Administration and Governance were: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien, President of the Academy; Dr. Bui Phuong Dinh, Vice President of the Academy; Ms. Pham Thi Quynh Hoa, Acting Head of the Department of Science Management and International Cooperation; along with leaders of functional units and specialists in charge of cooperation with Australia and New Zealand.

In his welcoming remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien emphasized that the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and Australia is built on a foundation of political trust and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework. In the context of accelerating administrative reform and national governance innovation, cooperation between training and research institutions in public governance holds particular importance.

The President of the Academy expressed his desire for the relationship between the Academy, ANZSOG, and VAC to be maintained in a substantive and sustainable manner. Key focus areas should include research on public service management, enhancing leadership and management capacity, and designing fostering programs tailored to the specificities of various ministries, sectors, and localities. The Academy also proposed a hybrid training model combining domestic and overseas components, linking theory with management practices in Vietnam.

Speaking at the session, Ms. Estrellita Boskovic affirmed that the cooperation between the two countries is built on a long-term, trusted, and sustainable foundation, with shared priorities in perfecting the political system, improving the quality of national governance, and promoting sustainable development. She highly appreciated the role of the Academy of Public Administration and Governance in training and fostering the public sector workforce and expressed expectations for both sides to continue strengthening professional exchange and supporting capacity building for public administration training institutions in Vietnam.

During the meeting, Ms. Pham Thi Quynh Hoa shared the Academy's development orientation based on three core functions: training and fostering; scientific research; and policy consultancy. The Academy is determined to undergo a strong modernization process, becoming learner-centered, promoting technology application and digital transformation, and adopting the approach of "co-creation of knowledge" combining international experience with Vietnamese reality to effectively serve administrative reform and the perfection of national governance.

Dr. Anneke Schmider noted that ANZSOG possesses a network of highly qualified experts and lecturers with rich practical experience in public governance. She expressed a desire to promote two-way exchanges, including inviting the Academy’s experts to participate in academic programs at ANZSOG to enhance experience sharing, expand research cooperation, and jointly propose appropriate policy solutions.

The working session took place in an open, trusted, and substantive atmosphere. Both sides agreed to increase professional exchanges, coordinate the organization of forums and specialized seminars, and promote the exchange of students and experts as well as academic sharing via online platforms. In October, the Academy plans to organize its Annual International Forum on Public Governance and looks forward to the participation of ANZSOG experts through in-depth presentations and joint research cooperation.

Concluding the meeting, representatives from both sides expressed confidence that, based on the existing cooperative foundation and the determination of the leaders of both units, the relationship between the Academy of Public Administration and Governance, ANZSOG, and VAC will continue to be consolidated and developed effectively. This will contribute to improving the quality of training, research, and human resource development in the public sector, actively contributing to the cooperative relationship between Vietnam, Australia, and New Zealand in the new era.