On the morning of 24th July 2026 (local time), continuing the Ministry of Construction's working program in Australia, the Ministry's delegation including leaders of its departments and agencies, as well as representatives from the Hanoi Architectural University (HAU), the University of Architecture Ho Chi Minh City (UAH), and the University of Transport Technology (UTT) visited and held a working session with Swinburne University of Technology at its Hawthorn campus in Melbourne. The meeting aimed to review existing cooperation programs and agree on new directions for collaboration in education and scientific research in the fields of architecture and construction.
The delegation was welcomed by Ms. Bronte Neyland, Deputy Vice-Principal for International Cooperation at Swinburne; Professor Emad Gad, Head of the Fasculty of Engineering; Professor Blair Kuys, Head of the Faculty of Design and Architecture; Professor Hadi Ghaderi, Vice-Head of Innovation and Collaboration, Faculty of Business, Law and Entrepreneurship; Dr. Dinh Quoc Phuong, Senior Lecturer and Head of the Interior Architecture Discipline, together with representatives from Swinburne's International Recruitment and Articulation Partnerships teams. Representatives of the Government of Victoria, including International Education Agency and Study Melbourne also attended the meeting.
Introducing the School of Design and Architecture, Professor Blair Kuys noted that the School is ranked among the world's top 100 institutions for design and architecture. It offers programs in Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Communication Design, along with a research and innovation center specializing in industrial applications. He explained that the School's educational philosophy emphasizes transforming creative ideas into commercially viable products, while equipping students with the core skills needed to thrive in an era of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence (AI).
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Swinburne’s representative introduced on the School.
Notably, Swinburne's leadership considers Vietnamese students, particularly from UAH and HAU, to be the largest and highest-quality international student community in the School. Many graduates of the joint programs have graduated and are working at leading architectural firms worldwide.
Introducing the Faculty of Engineering, Professor Emad Gad noted that Swinburne has more than 50 years of experience in engineering education with approximately 3,000 students, including around 250 PhD candidates, 200 academic staff, researchers, and professional personnel. The Faculty is ranked among the world's top 300 universities for engineering in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2025. It is ranked No. 1 in Australia and among the world's top 10 in Automation and Control, within the top 150 globally in both Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, and approximately one-third of its academic staff are listed among the world's top 2% most-cited scientists. All engineering programs incorporate Work Integrated Learning (WIL), providing students with industry-based learning experiences, and are accredited by Engineers Australia.
For the construction sector, Professor Emad Gad introduced the new Bachelor of Construction Management (Honours) program, with enrollment starting in 2026, focusing on digitalization in construction with content on BIM, schedule, quality, and safety management, site operations, procurement and bidding, and risk management. He also presented the Master of Construction and Infrastructure Management (2 years) program, which has over 30 years of development, is accredited by the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS), and is the only program selected by the Victorian State Government to train construction managers for public infrastructure projects (EPIC program).
Students will gain practical experience in modern laboratories such as Trimble Technology Lab, Construction Simulation Hub, Digital Construction Lab, Smart Structures Lab, and Factory of the Future, a model of business-technology integration that Vietnamese universities can refer to in developing their construction training programs.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Construction delegation, Associate Professor Dr. Vu Ngoc Anh, Principal of the HAU, expressed his appreciation for Swinburne's warm hospitality and reaffirmed his desire to further strengthen cooperation between Swinburne and the universities under the Ministry of Construction in the years ahead. Meanwhile, Associate Professor Dr. Vu Ngoc Khiem, Vice Principal of the University of Transport Technology (UTT), introduced the University's education and research capabilities, highlighting its strengths and outlining potential areas of collaboration with Swinburne in the field of transport infrastructure.
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Following the working session, the Ministry of Construction delegation toured Swinburne's teaching and research facilities at its Hawthorn campus.
On behalf of the UAH, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Architect Pham Trong Thuat, Principal of the University, held direct discussions with Swinburne's leadership on several key priorities: reviewing the effectiveness and solutions to promote existing 2+2 transfer programs in Interior Architecture and Graphic Design; finalizing the training agreement for Architecture under the 2+1+2 model linked to a master's degree to increase the attractiveness of the international study pathway; and proposing that Swinburne continue to provide English language support programs for UAH students before transfer, ensuring they meet admission requirements and requirements of the study abroad process.
UAH also proposed expanding the partnership to include postgraduate programs, such as the Master of Design (M.Design 1+1) and the Master of Communication Design, as well as developing collaboration in the fields of Construction Engineering and Civil Engineering. The University further sought to strengthen two-way academic exchange by welcoming Swinburne students to Vietnam under the New Colombo Plan and inviting Swinburne lecturers to serve as visiting lecturers at UAH. On this occasion, Principal Pham Trong Thuat respectfully invited Swinburne's leadership to visit Vietnam and attend the 50th Anniversary Celebration of Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture, which is scheduled to take place on 27 October 2026.
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The delegation met with Vietnamese students and trainees studying at the Faculty of Design and Architecture.
A significant highlight of the visit was the delegation’s meeting with Vietnamese students and trainees studying at the Faculty of Design and Architecture, including 2 PhD candidates, 1 master's student, and 10 undergraduate students, among them participants in the 2+2 transfer program in Interior Architecture between UAH and Swinburne. Leaders from both universities directly visited and encouraged the students to strive for academic excellence, becoming a bridge for educational cooperation between the two countries.
The meeting at Swinburne formed part of the Ministry of Construction delegation's broader program in Australia, following earlier meetings with the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and several Australian government agencies. The outcomes of the meeting contributed to advancing Vietnam's strategic priorities of expanding international cooperation in the development of high-quality human resources, scientific research, and digital transformation within the construction sector.
Source: International Cooperation Department - Translated by: M.A