A collaboration between The University of Queensland and Nong Lam University (NLU) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is helping improve veterinary education in Vietnam through an advanced, English-speaking program.
Now in its third year, the program based on UQ’s veterinary science curriculum will allow NLU to develop an internationally recognised tertiary training program in Vietnam.
Project Manager and UQ senior lecturer Dr Philip Chamberlain said UQ academics had visited NLU to deliver teaching workshops and NLU academics had in turn spent three months at the UQ to learn about the curriculum.
One of the NLU academics, Mai Dong Tieu, believes the UQ program helps students work and think independently, and hopes it will help encourage more students to study veterinary science in Vietnam.
“This program will produce veterinary and science graduates that are of a high standard with knowledge, expertise, and skills that are valued by the industry,” Ms Dong Tieu said.
Dr Chamberlain agrees that the project will benefit Vietnam by developing the animal production and rural sectors, assisting in diagnosing and controlling emerging diseases, improving biosecurity, and developing internationally recognised pharmaceutical and vaccine production companies in Vietnam.
The advanced veterinary program currently has 40 students per year, with all classes taught and assessed in English.
Dr Chamberlain said the partnership not only assisted NLU in becoming a leading institution in animal science and veterinary medicine education, training, and research, but also had a number of advantages for UQ.
“The project provides opportunities for staff and students to travel to Vietnam to gain experience in a foreign country and shows UQ’s willingness to partner in international institution and training development,” he said.
“But most importantly, it provides an opportunity to identify collaborative research projects in both countries and to develop other future collaborative opportunities.”
Dr Chamberlain is developing a strategic plan for the program and said the initiative was the result of a strategy by the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training’s (MOET) to advance Vietnam’s international trade position.
“Through a competitive process MOET partially funds the development of new courses to train internationally recognised professionals,” he said.
“NLU’s proposal won the bid to develop an advanced course in veterinary medicine, provided they partnered with an international university of high standard. UQ was fortunate to be selected for this collaboration.”
Providing financial support for the program is Dr Chamberlain’s AusAID funding application, which covered the cost of flights for NLU staff to visit UQ.
Media: Caroline Bird, UQ's Office of Marketing and Communications, 07 3365 1931 or c.bird1@uq.edu.au
