New MOU expands ANZSOG’s engagement with Vietnam
ANZSOG has expanded its engagement with Vietnam by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA), and through the recent delivery of a pilot leadership program to senior provincial leaders in Vietnam
The HCMA is Vietnam’s premier institution for leadership development, public administration and political studies, and the MOU will provide a platform for long-term collaboration between ANZSOG and HCMA in areas including executive education, public sector leadership development, research exchange and policy dialogue.
"This MOU will create new connections with a nation which is one of Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand's most important south-east Asian strategic and economic partners, and build stronger governance in all three countries."
The pilot Leadership Competencies for Government Senior Executives (LEADCOM) program was delivered in Lang Son (20–21 August) and Quang Ngai (24–26 August) provinces to around 100 senior provincial leaders.
This unique collaboration between the Vietnamese Academy of Public Administration and Governance (APAG), ANZSOG and the Vietnam- Australia Centre (VAC), was designed to strengthen the capabilities of provincial government leaders in Vietnam for their increasingly complex public sector environment.
A key focus of the program was encouraging an open, ‘comparative’ leadership-focused knowledge exchange between Australia and Vietnam, including through joint panel sessions and through presentations on Vietnam and Australian contemporary public governance transformation journeys.
These comparative sessions developed an understanding of the similarities between Australia and Vietnam in terms of the strategic intentions of public governance transformation, and the common modern public governance challenges they face.
Facilitators included ANZSOG’s Director of Global Initiatives Dr Anneke Schmider, and ANZSOG Practice Fellow Martin Stewart-Weeks. Tailored leadership simulations, designed and led by Mr Stewart-Weeks, created a safe space for participants to engage in challenging situations, and develop skills in systems leadership, collaborative governance leadership skills, and strategic decision-making.
The program was designed to strengthen leadership capability, with a focus on economic transformation, sustainability, resilience, crisis leadership, collaborative governance and digital transformation. Cross-cutting themes of climate resilience, collaborative governance and inclusive strategic leadership were embedded throughout the program.
Participants were also equipped with cutting edge knowledge, with an emphasis on future readiness and practical training on artificial intelligence in public service and digital governance at the grassroots level.
Overall, the pilot successfully demonstrated the value of experiential leadership development, with participant feedback overwhelmingly positive and calling for more advanced programs and simulations.
Participants said:
'We learned from Australia's experience and further developed leadership, management, and problem-solving skills.’
‘Learned new knowledge, exchanged ideas and support with fellow participants, particularly from experts from Vietnam and abroad.’
‘Thank you to the experts from the Vietnam-Australia Centre and the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics for making this program possible.’
The MOU with the HCMA and the pilot program builds on our ongoing work to strengthen ties and share knowledge with Vietnam and the Asia Pacific including the delivery of a strategic leadership program to 41 emerging Vietnamese Government public servants in Hanoi in March 2026.