Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on March 5 cut the ribbon to launch the Australia Vietnam Policy Institute (AVPI) located at RMIT University in Melbourne. 

Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh cuts the ribbon to launch the Australia Vietnam Policy Institute (AVPI) in Melbourne on March 5. Photo: Nhat Bac/VGP

The inauguration ceremony, which was also attended by Assistant Minister for Trade and Manufacturing, Senator Tim Ayres, and Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan, was held during the visit to Australia by Prime Minister Chinh, the first paid by a Vietnamese government leader to this country over the past seven years.

He highly appreciated the establishment of AVPI which is expected to become a think tank consulting the policy-making of the two governments, helping reinforce the relations to new heights with effective cooperation in different sectors.

Supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) under the Australia-Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Grant Pilot Program, the institute serves as a one-stop shop for research and insights on Australia-Vietnam’s strategic and economic relationship. It’s a collaborative platform for bilateral policy engagement.

The non-profit program is dedicated to the Australia-Vietnam strategic and economic relationship while offering policy discussions, collaborative insights, and network opportunities, supporting Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.

Another important factor supporting the joint efforts for policy-making is the Vietnamese community of more than 300,000 in Australia, contributing a significant part to Australia’s diverse culture and bridging bilateral relations in a substantive manner.

Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan said the Vietnamese population in Victoria is vibrant and sizable, having a growing influence on the state’s economy, culture, and food, particularly in Melbourne’s central business district. She continued by saying that over 14,000 Vietnamese students are presently enrolled in Victoria’s international programs.

She believed that the establishment of AVPI would be a catalyst for Vietnam-Australia relations in the coming time.

At the ceremony, Prof. Alec Cameron, Vice-Chancellor and President of RMIT University told PM Chinh that in its 25 years working in Vietnam, RMIT has trained 20,000 students, many of whom hold important positions in the country.

In the visit to Vietnam in June 2023 paid by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, RMIT University announced the next phase of its country commitment to Vietnam in a strategic investment fund worth AU$250 million (US$163 million).

PM Chinh thanked RMIT University for its training for Vietnamese students and research followers, expecting its support of Vietnam’s priorities in technology, education, and innovation through its long-term investment in Vietnam.