The General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam visited Oxford University during a visit to the United Kingdom, to enhance cooperation between Oxford research groups and Vietnam. The agreements with Vietnamese officials and University departments aim to improve collaboration in healthcare, higher education, and sustainable aviation.
Vice-Chancellor Irene Tracey said: “These new agreements reflect our shared commitment to nurturing talent, supporting innovation, and addressing the challenges that face our world today. We look forward to working together in the spirit of friendship and mutual learning, strengthening the bridge between Oxford and Vietnam for years to come.”
Professor Myles Allen of Oxford Net Nero and Dr Nguyen Thi Puong Thao of VietJet Air announced a project to research the viability of geologically balanced fuels (GBF), standard aviation fuels whose CO2 emissions are compensated for by an equivalent amount of CO2 that has been captured and stored in geological formations. The Net Zero Aviation project will work with Oxford Net Zero, VietJet, and the International Air Transport Association until mid-2026 to reduce CO2 emissions in the aviation industry by increasing the usage of GBFs.
The Pioneer Scholarship Scheme, offering fully-funded postgraduate scholarships for Vietnamese students, has also been launched in a partnership between Dr Thao and Oxford University. Dr Thao donated £13.7 million and Oxford added £4.1 million. The scholarship already supports eleven Vietnamese postgraduate and postdoc researchers at Oxford.
The International Health and Tropical Medicine Group at the Nuffield Department of Medicine and the Tam Anh Research Institute also established a partnership to collaborate on research in diagnostics and the prevention of non-transmissable diseases. The Tam Anh Oxford Partnership (TOP) will focus on merging Tam Anh’s reach as a private healthcare organisation with the research abilities of the International Health and Tropical Medicine Group.
The Vietnamese leader’s visit to the UK came during a period of controversy, as the BBC raised concerns over the barring of one of its journalists from leaving the country. Having travelled to Vietnam to see family and renew their passport, they subsequently had their passport and ID withheld. The UK Foreign Office released a statement on this issue, along with other human rights abuse allegations, after Lam’s meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer. In the statement, a spokesperson said: “We remain concerned by reported harassment of NGOs, journalists, and rights activists and communities in Vietnam and continue to raise these concerns directly with our Vietnamese counterpart.”
