As part of the Ministry of Construction's working visit to Australia, on 20th July 2026 in Sydney, Deputy Minister Pham Minh Ha led a delegation from the Ministry of Construction in a meeting with the leadership of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and Australian partners to promote cooperation in human resource development, scientific research, and the exchange of experience in data governance and the digital transformation of the construction sector.
Attending the meeting on the Ministry of Construction’s side were representatives from the Department of Organization and Personnel, the Department of Science, Technology, Environment and Building Materials, the Department of International Cooperation, the Institute of Construction Economics, and the Information Technology Center and leaders of the Hanoi Architectural University (HAU), the University of Architecture Ho Chi Minh City (UAH), and the University of Transport Technology (UTT).
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Overview of meeting.
Representing the UTS and Australian partners were Mr. Innes Ireland, Vice-Chancellor for Global Partnerships; Professor Peter Smith, Head of the Department of Built Environment; Associate Professor Susie Khamis, Vice-Faculty Head for International Affairs; experts from the Australia-Vietnam Strategic Technologies Centre (AVSTC); and representatives from Bentley Systems, PTW Architects Group, Engineers Australia, Transport for NSW, and Sydney Metro.
During the meeting, Mr. Innes Ireland expressed his pleasure at welcoming the Ministry of Construction delegation and reaffirmed UTS's commitment to working closely with the Ministry's universities to enhance the quality of education and research. UTS also pledged to provide full tuition support and living scholarships of approximately AUD 40,000 per year for Vietnamese doctoral candidates under Vietnam's Project 89.
UTS representatives also presented the University's key research areas, including Building Information Modeling (BIM), Digital Twins, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and sustainable construction technologies aimed at achieving net-zero emissions.
During the discussions, representatives from HAU, UAH, and UTT proposed a number of specific areas for cooperation, including: a 3+2 dual-degree programme in BIM and digital transformation; collaborative research on the application of AI in building design; co-hosting an International Conference in 2027; technical support for developing big data platforms for urban management; and training human resources for high-speed rail and urban railway projects.
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Overview of meeting.
During the meeting, representatives of Bentley Systems Group also committed to providing free software licenses to students and faculty members of the Ministry of Construction's universities through the Bentley Education programme. PTW Architects Group expressed its willingness to offer internship opportunities for Vietnamese students, while Engineers Australia offered support in advising on programme accreditation in accordance with international standards. The two sides also agreed to designate focal points to develop detailed cooperation proposals.
The Vietnamese universities proposed several additional areas of collaboration, including the implementation of Visiting Scholar programme for faculty exchanges, co-supervision of doctoral candidates, and the effective use of Project 89 resources to support doctoral education. They also emphasized combining UTS's technological strengths with the practical expertise of Vietnamese universities.
Source: International Cooperation Department - Translated by: M.A