Nearly 80 new Australia Awards Scholarship (AAS) graduates were welcomed back to Vietnam this week, ready to make a positive impact in their professions, communities, and beyond. The Australian Embassy in Vietnam hosted the graduates at a ceremony in Hanoi to celebrate their achievements and prepare them to transition successfully back to Vietnam.
New AAS alumni, special guests, and Embassy officials in Hanoi
New AAS alumni and special guests in Ho Chi Minh City
The Welcome Home Ceremony was held alongside a two-day Reintegration Workshop, to support the new graduates to settle back into work and life in Vietnam, enhance their confidence and leadership skills, and build networks.
Speaking at the event in Hanoi, Ms Renee Deschamps, Charge d’Affaires of the Australian Embassy said, “Alumni are ambassadors for Australia and Australia’s world class education. With their wealth of knowledge and expertise, they are well-placed to continue to make positive contributions to the development of Vietnam and strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between our two countries.”
The Ceremony and Workshop were also held in Ho Chi Minh City for new AAS graduates from the southern region, attended by Ms Sarah Hooper, Australian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, and special alumni guests.
Ms Renee Deschamps, Charge d’Affaires of the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, congratulates new AAS graduates.
Ms Sarah Hooper, Australian Consul-General in Ho Chi Minh City, delivers remarks at the Welcome Home Ceremony.
The events are held annually, and support graduates as they prepare to apply knowledge gained from their Australian master’s degrees in crucial sectors such as education, economics, trade and investment, food science, environmental management, social work, and cyber security. As new alumni, the graduates are also encouraged to identify opportunities for further professional development
Bui Van Tung, Master of Science in Agriculture from the University of New England, was positive about his experiences in Australia, and excited about using his new skills to drive sustainable agriculture development in Vietnam: “While studying in Australia, I gained extensive knowledge in sustainable agriculture and advanced agricultural technologies, and honed my research skills in agricultural science. This was largely due to living close to Australian nature and learning from local farming communities. As I’ve resumed my career as a researcher at the Northwest Agriculture and Forestry Research Centre – Northern Mountainous Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute, such hands-on knowledge and skills are crucial for my work. My experience also enables me to participate in cooperative projects between Vietnam, Australia, and other countries,” he said.
Bui Van Tung, Master of Science in Agriculture, the University of New England at the Reintegration Workshop for new AAS graduates in Hanoi
Nguyen Thi Cam Thu, Master of Education from Victoria University, was also positive, sharing her new vision for education in Vietnam inspired by lessons in Australia: “My Australia Awards Scholarship was a life-changing experience and helped enhance my career in education. Coming back to Vietnam, I envision myself as a teacher-leader who advocates for high-quality learning environments and real-life experience for young Vietnamese learners, a teaching philosophy consolidated by my own journey in Australia. I plan to connect and support communities such as teachers, educators, and parents in Vietnam through designing more experiential learning programs,” she said.
Nguyen Thi Cam Thu, Master of Education, Victoria University reflects on her Australia Awards journey at the Welcome Home Ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City.
The graduates join a dynamic community of nearly 100,000 Australian alumni in Vietnam who are influential leaders in their fields. In addition to their new skills, they can join this great network to exchange experiences, respond to problems and implement projects.
Alumni across Vietnam can access a wide range of networking and professional development opportunities throughout their careers, facilitated by Australia. This includes Alumni Professional Groups which host regular events and activities in Economics and Business, Agriculture, Legal and Justice, Gender, Education and Research, and Disability Inclusion.
Alumni are also eligible for the 2025 Australian Alumni Awards, which honour outstanding Vietnamese alumni of Australian education.
Australia Awards Scholarships provide a unique opportunity for Vietnamese citizens to study in Australia and gain new knowledge, leadership skills and networks in Australia and globally. Applications for Australia Awards Scholarships Intake 2026 (Semester 2) are open from 1 February to 30 April 2025. For more information, please visit Australia Awards Vietnam.
