Ambassador of Vietnam visits Massey campus

Tuesday 22 September 2020
The Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand, the first international visitor to Massey University since the outbreak of COVID-19 earlier this year has visited the Manawatū campus.
Ambassador of Vietnam visits Massey campus - image1
Last updated: Friday 1 April 2022

Ms. Phuong Thao Duong, Vietnamese Embassy (L), Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas, Mrs. Toni Grace, International Relations Manager, Palmerston North City Council, the Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand Mr. Van Thong Ta, Angela Drake, International Relations Manager, Massey University.

The first international visitor to Massey University since the outbreak of COVID-19 earlier this year has visited the Manawatū campus.

The Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand, Mr. Van Thong Ta, who lives in Wellington, was welcomed by the Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas earlier this month. His visit included an inspection of Te Ohu Rangahau Kai – home to the Riddet Institute HQ, alongside AgResearch and Massey University Food and Nutrition researchers.

The Ambassador was impressed by the private and public partnership involved in Te Ohu Rangahau Kai. The Vietnamese Government wish to further develop the capability of food innovation and agri-tech, particularly in sustainable farming and food safety.

Vietnam is one of the fastest growing economies of South East Asia and the New Zealand-Vietnam relationship has gone from strength to strength. This is the 45th year of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the bi-lateral relationship has recently been elevated to a strategic partnership by the New Zealand Government.

One of the Vietnamese Government’s priorities is to collaborate with New Zealand in education, focusing on English Language training and environmental management. They want to encourage students to explore programmes beyond business and finance disciplines and to study new areas such as food technology to strengthen the food value chain in Vietnam.  

Massey currently has a variety of Vietnamese partner institutions including the University of Economics in Ho Chi Min City, where students can study a Master of Management, majoring in banking and finance or human resource management. This can be taught fully online or students may transition to Massey in person halfway through the programme.

Massey's Centre for Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE) has also developed a number of connections with Vietnamese partners for offshore delivery of its programmes. In April 2018 it launched a new foundation pathway programme in partnership with a leading Hanoi high school Nguyen Sieu School, which has seen a steady number of students choosing to study at Massey.