Sydney, 23 November 2025, the Science and Technology Dialogue Forum, a flagship event within the Australia–Vietnam TechFest series hosted by the Vietnamese Australian Scholars and Experts Association (VASEA), brings together senior leaders, innovators, and industry partners from both countries to strengthen cooperation in science, technology, and innovation.
This year’s Forum, held on Sunday 23 November 2025 at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), carries particular significance with the attendance of H.E. Mr. Trần Hồng Hà, Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, as part of his official working visit to Australia. The Deputy Prime Minister will be accompanied by senior representatives from six key Vietnamese ministries, underscoring Vietnam’s strong commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation across green technology, digital transformation, and sustainable development.
The event will also welcome distinguished guests including Mr. Andrew Goledzinowski AM, VASEA Senior Advisor and former Australian Ambassador to Vietnam (2022–2024), and H.E. Nguyễn Thành Tùng, Consul General of Vietnam in Sydney. Their presence reinforces the growing strategic importance of the Australia–Vietnam relationship and the vital role of people-to-people and knowledge partnerships.
VASEA is proud to partner with UTS for this important event, reflecting a shared vision of advancing practical, science-driven solutions to climate resilience, water security, digital capability, and sustainable agriculture. A distinguished group of industry leaders- including TTC Agris, ROWS, ANSCentre, FPT, Viettel, and Calix Global – will showcase cutting-edge technologies and research projects that are transferring science and technology between Australia and Vietnam in both directions.
At this year TechFest, TTC AgriS presents their work in advancing sustainable agriculture and AgTech collaboration between Australia and Vietnam, including large-scale demonstration farms and the transfer of precision farming and digital technologies. Established as an Australian entity, TTC AgriS connects universities, industry, and government to accelerate innovation and strengthen the bilateral agricultural ecosystem.
A standout example of industry collaboration is the partnership between Calix Global (Australia) and Ambio Vietnam to bring EMag+ to shrimp farmers in the Mekong Delta. Produced using nanotechnology-based emulsification engineering, EMag+ enables farmers to actively control water quality, stabilise pond conditions, improve overall animal health throughout the crop cycle, and support faster, healthier shrimp growth.
Another featured innovation is V-Rice WaterScan, a digital tool developed to map real-time water levels during the Winter–Spring (Đông Xuân) irrigation season in the Red River Delta. With real-time data to guide floodgate operation, the system helps optimise water releases and has the potential to save hundreds of gigalitres each season.
The Forum programme features keynote addresses, technology showcases, and networking sessions connecting leaders from government, academia, industry, and the innovation ecosystem. The event promotes deeper cooperation in areas such as environmental engineering, sustainable food systems, advanced manufacturing, and digital innovation. It also highlights the growing contributions of Vietnamese-Australian experts and the role of VASEA in mobilising global knowledge networks to support Vietnam’s national development priorities.
A highlight of this year’s TechFest is the official launch of VietNEST, a breakthrough AI-enabled digital learning platform that reimagines how children in Australia learn Vietnamese. Inspired by the idea of supporting Vietnamese-Australian children to grow confidently between “two beautiful worlds,” VietNEST brings language and culture to life through science activities, heritage identity, creativity, and play.
Built on a powerful digital ecosystem – including classroom management tools, content portals, adaptive AI, voice cloning, and automatic pronunciation correction – VietNEST offers teachers dynamic support and provides students with a personalised, engaging learning experience. The platform enables learners to practise all major Vietnamese dialects (Bắc, Trung, Nam) and create bilingual stories about their Australian lives, helping language and cultural identity stay alive in a modern, authentic way. Importantly, VietNEST will empower future Vietnamese Australians to communicate and exchange science, technology, and innovation with their country of heritage in Vietnamese.
Generously sponsored by the Australasia Social Impact Foundation (ASIF) and implemented in partnership with VietSchool, VietNEST is designed for scalability and will be made freely available to Vietnamese language schools across Australia. The “nest” in VietNEST symbolises the collective efforts of parents, teachers, and the broader community to nurture heritage, strengthen belonging, and build a cultural bridge between Vietnam and Australia for generations to come. NEST also stands for Nurturing Education for Science & Traditions, bridging proud Vietnamese heritage with the Australian heritage our children are growing into.
Professor Long Duc Nghiem from University of Technology Sydney, and President of VASEA, said:
“TechFest is where science, innovation, and community intersect. We are honoured to welcome the Deputy Prime Minister, industry leaders, and distinguished guests from across Australia and Vietnam. Their presence reflects the growing recognition of the important contributions of Vietnamese scholars and experts in Australia.
The launch of VietNEST and the diverse technology showcases at this year’s event highlight how innovation can strengthen our community and contribute to a shared future of sustainable development.”
Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà is expected to emphasise the central role of science, technology, and innovation in Vietnam’s transition toward a green, circular, and low-carbon economy, as well as the importance of mobilising overseas Vietnamese intellectuals to support national development. His attendance reflects the deepening partnership between Australia and Vietnam under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework.
The Forum is part of VASEA’s broader mission to connect knowledge, accelerate innovation, and strengthen bilateral engagement through impactful programs, including technology pilots, research collaborations, policy dialogues, and community initiatives.
More information from the State News Agency:
https://baotintuc.vn/the-gioi/tang-cuong-hop-tac-va-doi-moi-sang-tao-giua-viet-nam-va-australia-20251126220051452.htm
