Undergraduate On March 13, 2026, Can Tho University (CTU) held a working session with H.E. Gillian Bird PSM – Australian Ambassador to Vietnam and Ms. Sarah Hooper – Australian Consul General. The delegation was received by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Trung Tinh – Rector of CTU and Dr. Le Van Lam – Vice Rector, together with representatives of relevant units of the University. The visit aimed to strengthen connections and discuss future cooperation in education, scientific research, and sustainable development, particularly on issues of strategic importance to the Mekong Delta region.
CTU warmly welcomed the delegation of the Australian Ambassador and Consul General to Vietnam
The working session was held at the CTU’s Administration Building
Over the years, CTU has developed extensive cooperation with the Australian Government and various Australian partners across education, research, and academic exchange. To date, the University has signed 37 Memoranda of Understanding and cooperation agreements with 23 universities and organizations in Australia. Human resources trained in Australia have also played an important role in the University’s development, with 135 lecturers having completed graduate studies in Australia, including 75 master’s degree holders and 59 PhD holders. In addition, approximately 150 CTU staff members, lecturers, and students have participated in short-term exchange programs, workshops, and training courses in Australia. Through the Mekong 1000 Program, Australia has received 117 CTU scholars, including 108 master’s students and 9 doctoral candidates.
In the field of scientific research, since 2015 the two sides have implemented 34 collaborative projects with a total budget of more than AUD 2.5 million (approximately VND 47 billion), mainly focusing on agriculture, aquaculture, environmental protection, and climate change adaptation. Several notable projects have generated meaningful contributions to the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta, including Crop Diversification on Rice-based Land under Saline Conditions (FOCUS), the Mekong Delta Aquaculture Innovation Cluster (MAIC), and the Resilient Agriculture and Food (RAF) initiative, with support from leading Australian organizations and research institutions such as ACIAR, CSIRO, and partner universities.
Welcoming H.E. Gillian Bird PSM on her first visit to CTU as the Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Trung Tinh provided an overview of the University’s development history as well as its strategic orientations in education, scientific research, and international cooperation. The Rector emphasized that, as an important knowledge center for both the Mekong Delta and the country, CTU hopes to work with the Australian Government to explore the establishment of a Climate Knowledge Hub at the University in the near future. In addition, CTU also expressed its interest in strengthening cooperation with Australia in developing initiatives to support English language teaching and learning across the Mekong Delta, as the University believes that English proficiency will serve as an important driver for advancing knowledge, science, and technology, and expanding international integration opportunities for the region’s human resources.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Trung Tinh (center) expressed confidence that the visit would further strengthen friendship and open up new opportunities for cooperation toward the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta
Speaking at the meeting, H.E. Gillian Bird PSM expressed her pleasure at visiting and working with CTU and highly appreciated the University’s role and position within Vietnam’s higher education system, particularly in the Mekong Delta region. The Ambassador emphasized that the region is facing significant challenges related to climate change, which require collaborative efforts from governments, organizations, and research institutions to develop sustainable scientific solutions. She also reaffirmed that the Australia–Vietnam partnership has been built and strengthened over many years, with education and scientific research serving as key pillars of cooperation. The Ambassador congratulated Can Tho University on its remarkable achievements in recent years, particularly its increasingly high ranking within Vietnam’s higher education system.
H.E. Gillian Bird PSM expressed her pleasure at the opportunity to visit and work with Can Tho University, and recognized CTU’s significant role and position within Vietnam’s higher education system
During the program, both sides also reviewed the implementation of ongoing collaborative research projects between CTU and the Australian Government, updating their progress and highlighting key outcomes achieved over time. Participants acknowledged the effectiveness of many cooperation programs, especially in areas such as agriculture, aquaculture, environmental protection, and climate change adaptation—issues of critical importance to the Mekong Delta. The two sides also discussed future cooperation directions, focusing on areas of shared strengths and development needs, including sustainable agriculture, natural resource management, and environmental protection. In addition, they explored opportunities to further strengthen connections between CTU and Australian universities, research institutes, and organizations, thereby promoting joint initiatives in education, scientific research, faculty and student exchanges, as well as collaborative research projects aimed at addressing regional challenges related to sustainable development and climate change.
Delegates engaged in discussions during the working session
The visit and working session of the Australian Ambassador and Consul General at CTU not only further strengthened the longstanding cooperative relationship between the University and the Australian Government and its partners, but also opened new opportunities for collaboration in education, scientific research, and knowledge transfer. Building on the solid foundation of cooperation developed over many years, both sides expect to continue promoting practical initiatives, particularly in science and technology, climate change adaptation, and sustainable development. Through these efforts, Can Tho University continues to affirm its role as an important hub for education, research, and knowledge exchange in the Mekong Delta, contributing to the advancement of the Vietnam–Australia strategic partnership and to the sustainable development of the region in the context of global integration and transformation.
Commemorative photo
(Website Editorial Board)
