Building on the positive outcomes of cooperation between Vietnam and Australia in science, technology and innovation, on the morning of August 11, 2026, a delegation from the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology (PTIT), led by Assoc. Prof. Dang Hoai Bac, President of PTIT, held a working session with the leadership of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) to discuss long-term cooperation in strategic technology research, industry engagement and the development of education and training programs.
The working session took place immediately following the exchange of the Research Cooperation Agreement between PTIT and UTS at the Vietnam – Australia Tech-Connect Forum on August 10, 2026, marking a new development in the partnership between the two institutions. Building on the commitments already established, the two sides focused on discussing specific implementation mechanisms toward developing a sustainable and in-depth partnership in the coming period.
Overview of the working session between PTIT and UTS
Representing PTIT at the meeting were Assoc. Prof. Dang Hoai Bac, President of PTIT; Dr. Do Trung Anh, Director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center; Dr. Tran Tien Cong, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Artificial Intelligence; and Dr. Nguyen Viet Hung, Deputy Head of the Department of Science and Technology Management and International Cooperation.
Representing UTS were Prof. Andrew Parfitt, Vice-Chancellor and President of UTS; Mr. Innes Ireland, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global Partnerships); Prof. Anika Gauja, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research); Prof. Peta Wyeth, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology; Prof. Diep Nguyen, Director of the Australia-Vietnam Strategic Technologies Centre (AVSTC); and Assoc. Prof. Hoang Dinh from the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology.
Developing AVSTC into a Platform Connecting Research and Industry between Vietnam and Australia
One of the key topics of the working session was the future development of the Australia-Vietnam Strategic Technologies Centre (AVSTC), jointly established by PTIT and UTS in June 2025 and based at PTIT.
Speaking at the meeting, Assoc. Prof. Dang Hoai Bac highly appreciated the achievements of AVSTC after more than one year of operation. During its first 14 months, the Centre launched eight seed research grants selected from more than 200 applications; provided 100 research support grants and 19 awards for women in technology; attracted more than 350 participants to its scientific workshop series; and developed nine pilot models in areas such as 5G security, privacy-preserving artificial intelligence, telehealth and Vietnamese sign language translation.
Assoc. Prof. Dang Hoai Bac, President of PTIT, shares his vision for developing the PTIT – UTS partnership on a long-term basis, expanding cooperation from strategic technology research to industry engagement and the development of high-quality human resources.
Building on these achievements, PTIT and UTS agreed on the need to further strengthen the role of AVSTC, not only as a focal point for implementing joint research projects but also as a platform that progressively connects researchers, universities, businesses and government agencies from Vietnam and Australia.
The two sides discussed identifying priority technology areas, selecting appropriate partners for each research direction, improving the Centre’s governance model, and developing mechanisms to facilitate greater business participation in technology research, development and application.
For the next phase, strategic technology areas such as quantum communications and 6G were identified as potential fields for further cooperation. UTS and PTIT also discussed the possibility of implementing the UTS Rapido model through the AVSTC platform, thereby strengthening connections between research, industry needs and technology commercialization.
Expanding Cooperation from Research to Technology Workforce Development
In addition to scientific research, PTIT and UTS devoted considerable time to discussing the expansion of cooperation in education and training, particularly in developing human resources for emerging technology fields.
The two sides discussed the possibility of developing joint training programs and courses based on the practical needs of businesses, as well as exploring models for joint programs, dual-degree programs and skills training. One proposed direction was to explore the development of an Artificial Intelligence Certification program jointly delivered by PTIT and UTS, combining in-person training in Vietnam with online participation by UTS experts.
At the working session, Prof. Andrew Parfitt, Vice-Chancellor and President of UTS, highly appreciated the results achieved through cooperation with PTIT and agreed with the direction of developing AVSTC into a platform for broader and deeper cooperation between the two institutions. UTS also shared its strengths in areas such as the digital economy, digital finance, infrastructure, supply chain management and network resilience, opening up additional potential areas of cooperation in the coming period.
Prof. Andrew Parfitt, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Technology Sydney, affirms UTS’s commitment to advancing cooperation with PTIT while emphasizing the role of the Australia-Vietnam Strategic Technologies Centre (AVSTC) as a platform connecting research, technology development and industry cooperation between the two countries.
Assoc. Prof. Dang Hoai Bac emphasized that, with the foundations already established, PTIT and UTS are well positioned to set more ambitious cooperation goals, build a long-term partnership, strengthen the participation of businesses from both countries, and expand cooperation from research to education and training, thereby jointly developing the next generation of high-quality research and technology professionals.
The working session on August 11 further affirmed the determination of PTIT and UTS to translate their cooperation agreements into substantive activities while expanding the role of AVSTC as a bridge connecting the research, innovation, industry and education ecosystems of Vietnam and Australia.
Assoc. Prof. Dang Hoai Bac, President of PTIT, and Prof. Andrew Parfitt, Vice-Chancellor and President of UTS, exchange commemorative gifts following the working session.
