Australia boosts defense ties with Vietnam through English training

The intensive course, benefiting 90 Vietnamese officers, will run over two semesters from July 2026 to June 2027, with 500 hours of instruction each semester.

The training is being conducted at the Information Technology and Foreign Language Center of the Signal Officer Training School in Bac Nha Trang Ward and the Air Force Officer College in Nha Trang Ward.

Funded by the Australian government through the Australia-Vietnam Defense Cooperation Program (DCP), the course aims to strengthen participants' English communication skills for international assignments, joint exercises, and professional communication.

Since Australia and Vietnam established defense ties in 1999, Australia has supported English and professional training for thousands of Vietnam People's Army officers.

The program builds on previous DCP-funded English training initiatives delivered by RMIT Vietnam, including an ongoing program for 100 Vietnam People's Army officers in Hanoi and a 13-week course for Vietnamese peacekeepers preparing to join the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Colonel Alana Burkitt, Australia's defense attaché to Vietnam, said the program reflected the enduring defense partnership between the two countries.

"This is a clear demonstration of the strong and long-standing defense relationship between Australia and Vietnam," Burkitt said.

"By supporting English language training, we hope to help Vietnam People's Army officers work confidently in multinational environments and contribute effectively to regional and global security."

The program is taught by experienced instructors from the School of English & University Pathways at RMIT Vietnam.

The curriculum combines general English and military English using a learner-centered teaching approach.

The program is delivered through classroom instruction, computer-based practice, and blended learning that combines in-person and online instruction.

Participants' entry-level English proficiency ranges from pre-A1 to B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), with the program aiming to help them improve by at least one CEFR level by the end of the course.

Prof. Scott Thompson-Whiteside, general director of RMIT Vietnam, said the university was proud to help strengthen Vietnam's defense capabilities through the DCP English training program.

"We are honored to develop and deliver a high-quality training program tailored to the practical needs of the Vietnam People's Army," he said.

"By strengthening officers' English language skills, we hope to support their more effective participation in international defense cooperation activities while creating greater opportunities for future professional development."

The program is expected to equip Vietnam People's Army officers with the language skills needed to meet increasingly demanding professional requirements while further strengthening bilateral ties through practical cooperation and shared objectives.