In a visit to the University, the General Secretary General of the Community Party of Vietnam, To Lam, signed several cooperative agreements supporting academic collaboration with two University research centres and formally launching a scholarship scheme for Vietnamese students.
Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, said: ‘I am delighted to welcome to Oxford the General Secretary of Vietnam and our colleagues from there to affirm and deepen the ties between our University and Vietnam’s leading institutions. Oxford has a proud tradition of global partnership — of sharing knowledge across borders to advance education, discovery and public good. 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.’
The Tam Anh Research Institute has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Health and Tropical Medicine Group from the Nuffield Department of Medicine, establishing the Tam Anh Oxford Partnership (TOP). The partnership promotes equitable collaboration through joint training, research and capacity building, with a focus on innovations in diagnostics and preventive healthcare for non-communicable diseases.
TOP redefines global health collaboration by putting local leadership and needs priorities at the heart of its design, with Oxford contributing world-class research expertise and training to inform national policies and programmes.
Professor Proochista Araiana, Programme Director, International Health and Tropical Medicine, said: ‘We are delighted to be launching this innovative partnership between Tam Anh, one of Vietnam’s leading private healthcare and vaccine establishments, and Oxford University. This is an exciting time for such a collaboration given Vietnam’s rapid economic growth, epidemiological transition, and national prioritisation for healthcare innovations. TOP exemplifies Oxford’s agenda to extend our research excellence while cultivating strategic and equitable international partnerships to tackle global challenges.’
A further partnership between VietJet and Oxford Net Zero, led by Professor Myles Allen, supports the Net Zero Aviation Project — a £1.6 million research collaboration running until mid-2026.
The project, conducted with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), investigates geologically balanced fuels (GBFs) — a novel approach to offsetting aviation emissions by capturing and permanently storing equivalent CO₂ in geological formations. Emissions from aviation are projected to increase steadily in the coming years, and they are currently some of the hardest emissions to abate. The aim of the Net Zero Aviation Project is to look at a potential new way of tackling this challenge by looking at the feasibility, public perception and impact of GBFs, alongside equity and justice implications. It ultimately aims to develop policies and reporting standards which support gradually increasing the fraction of emissions captured and stored over time through cooperation between the aviation sector and their fuel suppliers.
Professor Myles Allen, Principal Investigator of Oxford Net Zero, said: ‘The Oxford Net Zero initiative is delighted to be working with VietJet and the International Air Travel Association, IATA, on strategies for neutralising the climate impact of aviation. We are specifically exploring the concept of “geologically balanced fuels” as potentially an affordable, scalable, and responsible complement to sustainable aviation fuel. Working with a low-cost carrier with a commitment to both sustainability and affordability that is based in South East Asia, one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, brings together in microcosm all the challenges faced by the global aviation sector.’
At the same time, Oxford and Vietnamese entrepreneur and philanthropist Dr Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao launched the Pioneer Scholarship Scheme, providing fully funded postgraduate scholarships for outstanding Vietnamese students. The scheme is jointly endowed by Dr Thao and the University, with Dr Thao contributing £13.7 million and the University adding another £4.1 million. The scholarship has already supported 11 postgraduate and postdoctoral Vietnamese scholars working in fields ranging from education to genomic medicine.
The full story is available on the University of Oxford website