Project Case Study
Developing the Australia-Vietnam Human Resource Development Delivery Strategy
Building the capacity for Vietnam to achieve its development goals
Whilst Vietnam has experienced rapid growth over the past ten years, and is now classified as a middle-income country, it is still facing significant economic and social challenges. In 2008, 14% of its population still lived below the poverty line, and people with a disability, ethnic minorities, those living in rural areas and in the Northwest region are particularly disadvantaged.
The Government of Vietnam has ambitious plans to attract foreign investment, create new industries and put in the necessary infrastructure to continue economic development. It has set a national goal to become an industrialised country by 2020. It is also striving to stand on an equal economic and social footing under the ASEAN Economic Community goal of regional economic integration, including improved labour mobility by 2015.
The Vietnam Socio-Economic Development Plan 2011-2015 identifies human resource development as one of three key breakthrough areas to achieve Vietnam’s development goals (along with economic integration and environmental sustainability). Education and training are top priorities for the Vietnamese government, which needs to equip its labour force with scientific, technological, and management skills. This includes improving the quality of its universities, research institutes and technical and vocational training colleges. This response has been supported by the Australian Government, and other development partners including multilateral agencies.
Between September 2013 and February 2014, we worked with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), in consultation with Government of Vietnam and other development partners to establish the analytical base and framework to inform DFAT’s strategy on Australia’s HRD support for Vietnam. It is anticipated that the strategy will target a holistic approach to making advances in the three areas of knowledge, skills and competencies in Vietnam, be they learned via higher education, formal technical and vocational education or in the workplace.
