Policymakers, education leaders, international experts and educators discussed the role of English-medium instruction in the future of Vietnamese education at the National Forum on English-Medium Instruction in Ho Chi Minh City on October 17.
The forum was themed English Medium Instruction: A Strategic Driver for Vietnam's National English as a Second Language Initiative. It brought together 120 delegates for academic exchange and discussion of the development of English-medium instruction.
In October 2025, the Government approved a national initiative to make English a second language in schools for 2025–2035, with a vision towards 2045.
The forum discussed directions for developing English-medium instruction, programme governance and development, teacher training, learner support, quality assurance, and the use of technology and artificial intelligence in teaching.
Other topics included the role of English-medium instruction in Vietnam's foreign language policy, the internationalisation of higher education, global development trends, quality and sustainable development requirements, and support mechanisms for teachers and learners.
Nguyen Thu Thuy, deputy director general of the Department of International Cooperation under the Ministry of Education and Training, said English helps transfer knowledge, support scientific development and improve international competitiveness. She said the objective is no longer limited to teaching English as a traditional foreign-language subject.
Thuy said Vietnam is building an educational and communicative system in which English will be used in management and teaching at all educational levels. She added that the forum was examining the readiness of teaching staff to implement the English-as-a-second-language strategy.
The programme aims to develop teachers who are subject specialists and can use English as a medium of instruction, Thuy said.
Julie Dearden, director of Oxford EMI, said English-medium instruction is closely linked to the internationalisation of higher education.
University managers focus on competing in global rankings, responding to demographic changes, running joint degrees and increasing revenue, she said.
Teachers choose English-medium instruction to connect with the international community, develop partnerships, conduct joint research and publications, and work with international students and faculty, Dearden said.
As Vietnam pursues its policy of making English a second language, the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City signed a cooperation agreement with Oxford EMI. The partners will organise training for teaching staff to meet standards for teaching in English and obtain an international certificate in Vietnam.
The cooperation is intended to standardise criteria for lecturers who teach university courses in English.
Bui Quang Hung, president of the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, said developing English-medium instruction is linked to the internationalisation of training programmes, improved human-resource quality and stronger university competitiveness.
English-medium instruction should be implemented with a clear focus and tied to learning outcomes, professional quality and learners' capacity for integration, he said.
Hung also called English-medium instruction a tool for universities moving from a domestic training focus towards developing human resources able to compete in the global knowledge economy.
Sources: Viet Nam News
