Vietnam-Germany Education and Training Cooperation: From Solid Foundations to Substantive Results

As the global economy shifts toward digital transformation and sustainable development, Vietnam and Germany have made education and training cooperation a strategic priority. Germany remains Vietnam’s top European trade partner and serves as a key source of practical models for higher education and vocational training.

“German Career Truck” – a career orientation initiative that opens opportunities for students to pursue German-standard education and vocational training

The Vietnamese-German University (VGU) serves as a flagship of this partnership. Spanning over 50 hectares with a total investment of about US$200 million, mostly from concessional World Bank loans, VGU is set to become a model for university governance and scientific research. The university follows German teaching standards and a credit-based system while developing an international faculty team.

Vietnam has identified improvements in vocational training as one of the keys to sustaining socio-economic development. Within the framework of the Technical Cooperation Project, Germany has provided policy advice to the Ministry of Home Affairs (formerly the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs) on reforming the legal framework for vocational training and drafting revisions to the national vocational training strategy.

In addition, through financial and technical cooperation projects, Germany has supported several vocational training institutions in modernizing equipment, providing expert assistance, and developing programs to enhance the quality of teachers and administrators in line with German vocational training standards. Particular focus has been placed on training human resources for high-growth sectors such as mechanical engineering, machining, assembly mechanics, and electronics. Training for environmental industries has also been emphasized, notably in wastewater treatment and renewable energy.

A crucial aspect of vocational training is the connection between private enterprises and training institutions. According to the German Embassy in Hanoi, for sustainable impact, Vietnamese enterprises must provide more training placements and cooperate more closely with vocational schools. Support programs have already been established to connect associations, consultants, businesses, apprentices, and training institutions in developing vocational curricula that integrate theoretical and practical components as well as standardized final assessments. A successful example is the introduction of a vocational training program for “Wastewater Treatment” at Ho Chi Minh City Technical College, which has since been replicated at vocational schools in Hanoi and Hue.

One of the most effective vocational training initiatives is the partnership between Bosch Vietnam and Lilama 2 Technology International College in Dong Nai province. The dual training program, based on German standards, enables students to combine study with practical on-the-job experience. According to the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), over 85% of graduates find employment within six months, primarily in high-tech enterprises. This shows that direct business involvement and aligning training with market demand yield tangible results.

In recent years, GIZ has implemented a series of vocational training reform programs (2024-2027), collaborating with around 30 training institutions in Vietnam to pilot the integration of green and digital skills. Michaela Baur, Country Director of GIZ Vietnam, said: “In the context of growing renewable energy and green jobs, standardizing vocational training to international levels will equip Vietnam with a workforce that is competitive not only domestically but also globally.”

However, the current scale is still too limited compared with the more than 1,900 vocational education institutions nationwide. The active participation of small and medium-sized enterprises, which account for over 96% of all Vietnamese businesses, is particularly essential for these programs to achieve broad impact.

Beyond domestic cooperation, according to the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), in 2024 there were 7,069 Vietnamese students studying in Germany out of nearly 380,000 international students, placing Vietnam among the top ten countries with the largest number of students in Germany. Of these, 45% are enrolled in engineering fields.

Many graduates have joined leading corporations such as Siemens and Bosch, earning competitive salaries and gaining international experience. Among those returning to Vietnam, a significant number of engineering alumni work at VinFast and Bosch Vietnam, enhancing productivity, standardizing production processes to international standards, and implementing automation and green technologies.

However, many experts emphasize that Vietnam-Germany cooperation in vocational education will only be sustainable if it is tightly aligned with enterprise needs and labor market demand, rather than focusing solely on student numbers. Without mechanisms to encourage students to return and contribute to the domestic workforce, the effectiveness of human capital investment will remain limited.

It is clear that Vietnam-Germany education cooperation has built a strong foundation. Yet to move beyond symbolic achievements, outcomes must be measured by employment matching, income improvements, and tangible benefits for businesses. Policies to attract talent, strengthen enterprise-education linkages, and mobilize alumni networks will be essential to broaden impact. Only by focusing on output effectiveness can educational cooperation become a strategic lever for enhancing Vietnam’s competitiveness in the era of digital transformation and green growth.

Thu Huyen (Vietnam Business Forum)