In Canberra and Sydney, the delegation discussed governance mechanisms and administration in Australia through sessions about public sector leadership experience and public policy initiatives, developing networks and partnerships with different Australian organisations.

Ms Do Thi Thanh Binh, Head of the Training Department at the Office of the Government said: “The Office of Government is one of the five VAC foundational partners. I am excited to participate in this program to gain more knowledge and understanding about the country, culture, and people of Australia. We learned more about Australia’s training and upskilling programs for officials to apply them in Vietnam”.

The Sustainable Sydney 2030-2050 transformative vision briefing

The delegation and their counterparts discussed the unique challenges faced by public sector leaders in their roles. Together they’ve explored initiatives for the sustainable development of public administration and how to apply in a Vietnamese context.

Mr Nguyen Thanh Diep, Director-General of the Department of Middle East and Africa at the External Relations Commission, said, “This study mission gave me a lot of useful knowledge that I can apply to my work. I’ve improved my capacity to give advice on many issues such as ethnic groups, digital transformation in public services, and especially cultural diversity, which are currently being promoted by Vietnam”.

Outside the Australian Parliament House

The Vietnamese officials had the opportunity to observe a lively parliamentary sitting session at the Australian Parliament House in Canberra and question time at the New South Wales Parliament in Sydney. They met the first ever Vietnamese-born Member of Parliament (MP) in the Australia’s House of Representatives, Ms Dai Le MP, who shared details of an MP’s job and how Parliament runs in Australia.

In Canberra, it was an unforgettable reunion for many officials in the delegation with Mr Craig Chittick OAM, former Australian Ambassador to Vietnam who now serves as First Assistant Secretary, International Division, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. They also met with Ms Michelle Chan, Deputy Secretary, Southeast Asia and Global Partners Group, in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Ms Karen Lanyon, former Australian Consul-General in Ho Chi Minh city. At the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Nguyen Tat Thanh, highly appreciated that connections between Vietnamese and Australian counterparts extend beyond their tenures in both countries.

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