Vietnam continues to be a top choice destination for Australian undergraduate students participating in the Australian Government’s New Colombo Plan as 677 students from 22 Australian universities will visit Vietnam to undertake study and work-based experiences in 2020 through 47 different projects.

Australian students participate in the New Colombo Plan. Photo: Australian Embassy in Hanoi

The New Colombo Plan provides Australian students with the opportunity to gain the cross-cultural awareness and experiences that are vital in today’s globally connected workforce.

Of the 36 New Colombo Plan host countries in the Indo-Pacific region in 2020, Vietnam will receive the fourth largest group of students. The number of Australian undergraduates who will have received scholarships to visit Vietnam since 2015 – the inaugural year of the program – will rise to 3,609 in 2020, making Vietnam the fifth most popular destination in this program.

The 47 New Colombo Plan projects in which students will participate in Vietnam in 2020 include projects in health, information technology, community development, agriculture, environmental management, innovation and entrepreneurship, and language teaching.

“Over time, the growing cohort of New Colombo Plan alumni will play an increasingly important role in Australia's relationships with Vietnam. They will become an influential and diverse network of Australians with direct country experience and strong professional and personal networks with Vietnam, and they will contribute to the future prosperity of both countries,” said Robyn Mudie, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam.

Reflecting on their time in Vietnam, current New Colombo Plan alumni spoke highly about the skills and knowledge they had learned. Alumni said that their experience in Vietnam had played a significant role in shaping their personal values and global perspectives.
 
The growing cohort of New Colombo Plan alumni demonstrates Australia’s commitment to increasing links with the Indo-Pacific. This network of young Australians with experience to the region will continue to contribute to deepening regional understanding and people to people links.