(Tien Phong News) – The Women in Leadership Journey 7 (WILJ7) in 2025 brought together 17 female leaders from the party, government agencies and relevant organisations in Vietnam. This is an important initiative to realise Pillar 3 – “Building knowledge and connecting people”, under the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Australia.
17 participants of Women in Leadership Journey 7 at the final symposium
The program demonstrates the Australian Government’s strong commitment to working with Vietnam to build a fair, inclusive and sustainable society – in line with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) International Gender Equality Strategy and the Vietnam Gender Equality Strategy 2022–2027. Aiming for an environment where everyone has the opportunity to live, work and develop with respect and dignity, the program not only fosters leadership skills but also creates a space for connection, experience sharing, and inspiration to lead change.
In the 10 years of implementing the National Plan on Gender Equality, Vietnam has made remarkable progress. Specifically, the proportion of women participating in the National Assembly and people’s councils at all levels has remained high in the region; the gender gap in education and health has been narrowed; and opportunities for access to jobs and participation in leadership have been expanded. In the past two years alone, Vietnam rose 11 places, ranking 72nd out of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index, thanks to promoting policies, laws, and initiatives such as “Digital Literacy for All”, “AI Literacy for All”, and building a safe and inclusive digital environment. Vietnam continues to commit to putting gender equality at the heart of all technological and legal structures, enhancing international cooperation and empowering women in all fields, especially in the digital transformation period.
Cohort 7 of the Women in Leadership Journey is organised by the Vietnam Australia Centre (VAC) in collaboration with Curtin University and the Centre for Gender and Women’s Rights Research (GWR) of Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA).
With a nine-month journey, the program is implemented by more than 175 speakers, officers, and instructors from 59 organisations of the Australian and Vietnamese governments, authorities at all levels, enterprises, non-profit organisations, and centres and facilities of Curtin University. This intensive academic program helps students enhance their capacity, shape their personal and professional development journey, and promote gender equality, diversity and inclusion at the organisational, national and global levels.
Ms Renée Deschamps, Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Embassy in Vietnam, delivers opening remarks at the symposium.
Within the framework of the program, participants took part in working sessions and exchanges with state agencies, educational institutions, social organisations, as well as visits to some outstanding historical and cultural monuments in Australia and Vietnam. A series of in-depth seminars and discussions on gender equality and social inclusion contributed to strengthening the knowledge, analytical skills, and policy application. In addition, site visits to organisations applying practices and models to support women, people with disabilities and vulnerable groups provided rich practical experiences.
Women in Leadership Journey 7 participants visit the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
In particular, the learning journey in four major Australian cities – Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, and Perth – has created conditions for participants to access policy practices, supporting models and inclusive working environments, from which they can draw lessons relevant to the Vietnamese context.
At the end of their learning journey in Australia, each participant implemented a project applying the knowledge and skills accumulated from the short course to create positive changes in the workplace as well as community in the following areas:
– Promoting economic empowerment and entrepreneurship for women
– Developing female leadership and promoting mental health in the workplace
– Promoting gender mainstreaming in policy, policy review, and increasing women in leadership
– Supporting and promoting the disability inclusion
– Strengthening communication to raise awareness of gender equality and inclusion
On 25 September 2025, participants presented their projects at the final symposium with the participation of experts from Australia and Vietnam, providing practical perspectives and recommendations.
Participants present their application projects in a panel discussion themed “Disability inclusion and support”
The Vietnam-Australia Centre (VAC) is a vibrant centre for training, research, and knowledge sharing between Vietnam and Australia, bringing together experts from both countries to support Vietnamese leaders in addressing domestic, regional, and global challenges.
Curtin University – the academic partner delivering the program – is one of the world’s leading universities for teaching and research, ranked in the top 1% of universities globally according to the 2023 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU).
Since 2017, seven cohorts of Women in Leadership Journey has connected 144 female leaders from various fields in the public sector and related organisations, forming a dynamic and influential network of female leaders. The program is a vivid demonstration of the persistent cooperation efforts between Vietnam and Australia in promoting gender equality, building women’s leadership capacity, and protecting the rights of women and disadvantaged groups./.
