56 newly returned Australia Awards Scholarships (AAS) alumni were officially welcomed back to Vietnam at a Welcome Home Ceremony in Hanoi, marking an important milestone as they transition from study in Australia to applying their knowledge and skills in Vietnam.
The Ceremony brought together newly returned alumni, representatives of the alumni network, and officials from Australian Embassy and the Vietnam – Australia Friendship Association, underscoring the shared commitment of Australia and Vietnam to education, leadership and people‑to‑people links.
New Australia Awards Scholarships alumni celebrate their return to Vietnam
Speaking at the event, H.E. Ms Gillian Bird PSM, Australian Ambassador in Vietnam highlighted the importance of continued alumni engagement: “We welcome our newly returned Australia Awards alumni to a powerful network of leaders and experts across a wide range of profession and sectors. Australia is proud to continue supporting alumni as they translate knowledge, skills, and perspectives gained in Australia into real, practical impact in Vietnam, and further strengthen the relationship between our two countries.”
H.E. Ms Gillian Bird PSM, Australian Ambassador in Vietnam delivers opening remarks at the ceremony.
Congratulating new alumni, Prof. Dr Tran Tho Dat, Chairman of Vietnam-Australia Friendship Association said, “Alumni are an important part of a broader community that connects Vietnam and Australia through cooperation, trust, understanding and shared values. From an Australian education, they bring home an open, practical and forward-looking mindset that truly matters to Vietnam’s goals of innovation, digital transformation, and sustainable and inclusive growth.”
Prof. Dr Tran Tho Dat, Chairman of Vietnam-Australia Friendship Association welcomes new AAS graduates to the Australian alumni community in Vietnam.
The ceremony was held alongside a Reintegration Workshop for alumni who have returned to Vietnam within the past three months. The two‑day workshop provided a structured space for participants to reflect on their experiences, explore leadership and workplace expectations, and begin developing practical change ideas they hope to implement in their organisations.
Hoang Thien Long, who graduated from Monash University with a Master of Public Policy said “My experience in Australia has been transformative for both my knowledge and professional skills. I developed essential skills in designing policies for sustainable development, which I am eager to apply to my work in Vietnam, especially in the healthcare sector. I hope to contribute to developing policies that balance the interests of various stakeholders while advancing Vietnam’s healthcare goals.”
Luu Thi Quyen, Master of Marketing Communications at the University of Melbourne shared, “Building on my long-term experience in communications, my studies in Australia have deepened my expertise and strengthened my ability to apply global best practice to my work. The combination of industry experience and advanced study has improved my teaching in higher education and will enable me to guide students with practical insights and up-to-date industry perspectives. It has also supported my contribution to community projects, where I advise emerging professionals on career pathways.”
The Reintegration workshop enables alumni to explore ways to contribute to Vietnam’s development.
Alumni also formally joined the Australian Alumni in Vietnam network, strengthening professional links and long‑term engagement with Australia.
Vietnam is home to more than 160,000 Vietnamese alumni of Australian education, including over 7,500 Australia Awards alumni, who play an important role in Vietnam’s development across government, academia, civil society and the private sector Through networking opportunities, professional development activities and alumni grants, Australia continues to support alumni toturning knowledge into impact.
New alumni will access a wide range of opportunities for professional development and maintain links to Australia.
The Australia Awards Scholarships program is a cornerstone of Australia-Vietnam’s cooperation in human resource development, contributing to a highly skilled workforce and strengthening institutional and people-to-people ties between the two countries./.
