As part of the State visit to Australia by General Secretary and President To Lam, the Vietnam-Australia Tech-Connect Forum 2026 was held on the morning of August 10, 2026, at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), with the participation of senior leaders, representatives of ministries and government agencies, universities, research institutes, businesses, and the scientific communities of both countries. At the Forum, the Australia-Vietnam Strategic Technologies Centre (AVSTC) was highlighted as a strategic initiative and a key achievement in science, technology, and innovation cooperation between Vietnam and Australia.
One of the significant highlights of the Forum was the exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology (PTIT) and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) on joint research cooperation in support of AVSTC activities, witnessed by leaders of the two countries. This further strengthens the foundation for joint research between the two institutions, with a view to effectively implementing research programs and activities at the Centre in the next phase.
From cooperation to joint research and technology co-development
Speaking at the Forum, General Secretary and President To Lam emphasized that science, technology, innovation, and high-quality human resources have become essential to Vietnam’s development. Building on the Vietnam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the General Secretary and President called on the two countries to develop and implement a long-term strategy for connectivity in science, technology, and innovation, establishing it as a new pillar of bilateral relations.
General Secretary and President To Lam called on the two countries to develop and implement a long-term strategy for connectivity in science, technology, and innovation – Photo: VNA
In particular, General Secretary and President To Lam called on Vietnam and Australia to move from cooperation to co-creation, from technology transfer to joint research and co-development, and from connections between individual organizations to linkages between the two innovation ecosystems. Accordingly, the two countries should expand joint research programs and strengthen connections among research centers, universities, businesses, and innovation investment funds in priority areas such as AI, semiconductors, digital technologies, biotechnology, quantum technology, clean energy, critical minerals, and the marine economy.
Within this cooperation framework, AVSTC, located at the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology, has been identified as one of the concrete platforms connecting the science, technology, and innovation ecosystems of the two countries. In his opening remarks, Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan proposed that the two sides continue developing the Strategic Technologies Centre as a shared platform, while connecting venture capital funds and technology financing sources to enable outstanding inventions to move from laboratories to the market.
Minister Vu Hai Quan speaks at the Vietnam-Australia Tech-Connect Forum 2026.
Sharing his views on the prospects for cooperation between the two countries, Australian Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration Matt Thistlethwaite emphasized the role of science and technology in driving economic growth and improving quality of life. Under the Vietnam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, the two sides are promoting deeper opportunities for cooperation and investment in science, research, and innovation.
New resources for the Australia-Vietnam Strategic Technologies Centre
Commitments to advancing AVSTC were further translated into concrete resources for the Centre’s activities. At the Forum, the two countries announced support programs for AVSTC, with Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology providing VND 25 billion and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) providing AUD 1.1 million.
Established on the basis of cooperation between Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, AVSTC aims to become a platform connecting research institutions, businesses, and government agencies from both countries in research, innovation, and the development of strategic technologies.
The Centre’s activities focus on areas such as 5G/6G, cybersecurity and digital transformation, as well as strategic technologies including AI and semiconductors, with the aim of connecting technology research with practical challenges and applications across sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, energy, transportation, and agriculture. In addition to technology research and development, the Centre also aims to develop human resources and strengthen connections among the scientific community, businesses, and policymakers of both countries through initiatives such as 5G scholarships, seed funding programs for strategic technology research, and the Women in Technology mentoring program.
Strengthening joint research cooperation between PTIT and UTS at AVSTC
Building on the strategic direction and resources dedicated to AVSTC, the exchange of the MoU on joint research cooperation between PTIT and UTS at the Forum provides a further foundation for the two institutions to coordinate research activities in support of the Centre. This is aligned with the Forum’s overarching direction of promoting joint research, mobilizing resources for strategic technology development, and strengthening connections among government, universities, research institutes, and businesses.
PTIT and UTS exchange the MoU on joint research cooperation as part of the ceremony for the exchange of cooperation documents and announcement of initiatives at the Forum, where 30 cooperation documents were exchanged in the presence of leaders of the two countries.
From a platform for strategic technology cooperation between Vietnam and Australia, AVSTC is gradually bringing together policy resources, the research capabilities of universities, and the technological strengths of businesses. The commitments and resources announced at the Vietnam-Australia Tech-Connect 2026, together with strengthened research cooperation between the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology and UTS, provide an additional foundation for the Centre to further develop its research, education, and technology connectivity activities in the coming period.
Through these efforts, AVSTC also contributes to realizing the spirit of cooperation emphasized by General Secretary and President To Lam at the Forum: moving from cooperation to co-creation, from technology transfer to joint research and co-development, and further establishing science, technology, and innovation cooperation as an increasingly important pillar of the Vietnam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
