Vietnam Business Forum has an exclusive interview with Mr. Nguyen Van Tien, Principal of Vietnam-Australia School, Hanoi.

On its 15th anniversary, VAS Hanoi is proud to be the first high school in Hanoi to receive a certificate of appreciation from the Ministry of Education and Training for its “excellent achievements in international cooperation and general education”. Looking back on this 15-year development journey, could you please briefly introduce the school’s remarkable achievements as an advanced education model and the “dual program, double benefit” development strategy?

Through our 15 years of development, a sustainable development strategy to become an inter-level education system encompassing pre-primary to high school has been our most prominent goal. Whoever loves VAS Hanoi knows that the school started with high school education (2007), primary education (2013) and preschool education (2019). We believe that sustainability, especially in the education industry, requires time, meticulousness, experience and responsibility. These aspects really make us stand out in the current context.

VAS Hanoi is proud to be one of the first schools to offer students an international learning environment, recognized both domestically and internationally. The Ministry of Education and Training approved the integrated education program that combines Cambridge's general education program and Vietnam's general education program from Grade 1 to Grade 12. VAS Hanoi is one of the first two schools in Hanoi to be recognized by Cambridge Assessment International Education as a registered Cambridge International School, code VN235. Recently, VAS Hanoi was also the first high school in Vietnam to be accredited as a Partner School of the Cambridge Assessment English. The Cambridge International Program at VAS Hanoi is constantly being renewed and updated. Since the 2023-2024 academic year, the Cambridge Program standardized into two streams: Trinity (for students who need a lot of time and support to get used to English) and Churchill (for students who have mastered their learning methods and more challenging subjects in English). This is a way for the school to listen to and arouse the aptitude in each student while still aiming for the common goal of globally valid certificates.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tien and Mrs. Melissa Watters - PLC Sydney Head of Junior School

The next is dedicated Vietnamese and international teachers. In the post-COVID-19 era, many schools are in crisis because of insufficient native English teachers. Fortunately, thanks to good tradition and working culture, VAS Hanoi has managed to have a very stable and experienced force of international teachers who regard VAS Hanoi as their second home.

The school has continued to invest a lot in experiential learning spaces and optimize current facilities. The school has optimized 40% of the campus for students’ activities, including a football pitch, a basketball court and a gymnasium in a spacious, bright and green estate. To both provide better educational facilities and services and meet the requirements of the new general education program, the school has built the Totto-Chan Innovation Experience Center in Luong Son, Hoa Binh province. This is one of the largest continuous experiential learning zones affiliated to a high school in Vietnam.

VAS Hanoi is truly a school with a growing and improving training quality where students feel connected to social relationships in a positive way, encouraged and respected for personality and diversity.

15th Anniversary Ceremony of Vietnam-Australia School, Hanoi & VAS Concert 2022

 Vietnam-Australia School, Hanoi has promoted strong cooperation with prestigious partner schools in Australia, the UK and the U.S. Would you introduce your remarkable cooperation programs and your future orientations to bring about special effects in cooperation ties, with emphasis on the Australian market and partners?

We are obviously one of the pioneering high schools in Vietnam that established strategic and comprehensive cooperation ties with an international high school. PLC Sydney is one of the oldest boarding schools in Australia. The next cooperation between VAS Hanoi and PLC Sydney will focus on some main activities. Specifically, PLC Sydney will support VAS Hanoi to improve teaching methods, introduce and recruit highly qualified teachers, and exchange school management and operation experience. For its part, VAS Hanoi will support PLC Sydney in enhancing Vietnamese cultural experiences for the latter’s teachers and students. These activities will be held in both Hanoi and Sydney.

While respecting the identity of students and promoting their potential in career-oriented activities, VAS Hanoi will also work with multinational brands and prestigious domestic and foreign universities such as RMIT, BUV, Monash and Deakin to help high school students with their future job experiences while they are at school.

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Australia diplomatic relations, what messages or wishes would you like to deliver?

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Vietnam-Australia School, Hanoi, I would like to send my warm regards and thanks to your press agency, and all those interested in education development, as well as the special cooperative and friendly relationship between Vietnam and Australia. Education embraces teaching knowledge to others and at the same time receiving knowledge from the community without borders. The educational cooperation achievements of Vietnam and Australia are truly an invaluable gift and one of the powerful factors that make a difference in Vietnamese education. Let's cherish and build a better future on those sustainable foundations together!

Thank you very much!