Australia partnering with Vietnam to advance women in leadership

Photo of the final Symposium

Education & Times Newspaper – The Symposium and Graduation Ceremony for the Australia Awards Short Course – Women in Leadership Journey – was held on 14th June in Hanoi

The Women in Leadership Journey is a flagship initiative under the Advancing Women in Leadership component of Aus4Skills.

This course aims to promote gender equitable leadership. The ten-month course, comprising many innovative activities in Vietnam and Australia, has helped 19 female managers and lecturers from universities in the northern mountainous region of Vietnam and their key stakeholders become more confident, knowledgeable and skilled to actively engage in their organisational decision-making.

They have successfully completed the ten-month course which included intensive learning experiences, and training, mentoring and coaching inputs in Vietnam and in Australia.

The Women in Leadership Journey has been implemented by Flinders University from Adelaide, South Australia in partnership with the Centre for Gender Studies and Women’s Leadership (GeLead) at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics.

The journey has been funded by the Australian Government through Aus4Skills, an Aus4Vietnam investment. Aus4Skills is a five-year program providing support to Vietnam to achieve the shared goal that Vietnam can access and use high-level professional and technical knowledge, skills and competencies to contribute to the country’s sustainable economic and social development, and enduring links with Australia. 

Participants worked in groups and presented their project results at the Symposium

To demonstrate their new learning and skills, each participant developed and implemented an application project on a gender equitable leadership issue to encourage positive changes in their workplace and community

Participant presented their project results at the Symposium, focusing on 5 topic issues: (1) Capacity building in gender equitable leadership in universities and private enterprises; (2) Increasing safety of women on campus and in the workplace; (3) Eliminating women’s barriers to leadership: Improving knowledge and skills to address gender-based violence; (4) Building peer networks involving isolated groups to support integration and equal educational opportunities; (5) Mobilizing gender equitable leadership: Gender-sensitive policymaking and practice.

The 19 participants of the first Women in Leadership Journey at the Graduation Ceremony 

At the end of the Symposium, a Graduation Ceremony was held for the 19 female participants of the first Women in Leadership Journey. During this the ceremony, the 19 participants “passed the baton” on to the next cohort of participants who have been selected to undertake the second Women in Leadership Journey in 2018-2019.

“Australia is committed to supporting Vietnam to achieve its own gender equality objectives. Gender equality is a powerful driving force for socio-economic growth and sustainable development. Through Aus4Skills, we are helping to increase the representation of women in political leadership and decision-making positions at all levels. Women and men will gain skills, knowledge and confidence to be leaders for gender equality.” said Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, H.E. Mr Craig Chittick.

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“Before participating in the Women in Leadership Journey, I could not imagine myself inspiring others with my work. I have been able to speak publicly about my work for the Centre for Women and Development Peace House Shelters supporting women and children who have experienced gender-based violence. I stepped up to the challenge and I feel proud of my efforts. I now understand that leadership is not just about power that can come with authority but is also about the power of influence, developing respect and inspiring others. I now know who I work for, I now know what I work for.” said Ms. Do Thi Anh Cham – Shelter Management Officer, Consultation and Support Development Department, Centre for Women and Development.

“I have been changed by the Women in Leadership Journey. I am now more confident and strong as a leader in my university. I now know that to be an effective leader I have to seek opportunities to advance women and to draw on all my new knowledge of what true and genuine gender equality entails. Every day I use ideas and knowledge from this journey to make changes in our education programs with students and also within my university community to promote other women to decision making and leadership roles. I am now a strong female leader for gender equality! On a personal note my husband and I have now decided to try and raise our son and daughter with a greater awareness of gender equity issues.” said Ms. Vu Thi Duc, Lecturer, Division of Medicine and Pharmacy, Tay Bac University.

“In the past I didn’t want to network and connect. I was shy. But now this Women in Leadership Journey has given me a new confidence and belief in myself. I realise that I can overcome my shyness and be an effective leader. I have a new sense of self and a strong motivation to keep moving forward. Because of social norms and negative stereotypes, women leaders, especially those of us in male dominated areas in Vietnam, have to overcome many more challenges that their male colleagues.” said Ms. Vu Thi Thanh Thuy, Dean, Faculty of Natural Resource Management, Thai Nguyen University, University of Agriculture and Forestry.

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Source: Translation of an article on Education and Times Newspaper