(Dan Tri) - After 30 years of presence in Vietnam, the British Council continues to affirm its important role as a cultural and educational bridge between the two countries.
Mr. James Shipton - New Director of the British Council in Vietnam - shares about the journey, mission and plans to connect UK - Vietnamese culture in 2025.
What inspired you to come to Vietnam to take up your new role within the British Council's global network?
- I knew a little about Vietnam before taking on this new role through previous work and travel opportunities.
During my last visit to Vietnam to attend the New Directions 2023 conference (International Conference on English Language Assessment), I was really surprised by the Vietnamese culture as well as the potential for cooperation and development. When I officially became the Director of the British Council in Vietnam, I could not believe my luck.
Mr. James Shipton - New Director of British Council in Vietnam.
As the UK's cultural and educational organisation, how are the British Council's core values reflected in its activities in Vietnam?
- The British Council values openness and caring, professionalism, diversity and inclusion. These values also demonstrate our commitment to building understanding and friendship between the people of the UK and other countries through promoting cultural exchange, educational opportunities and diversity.
We have established a long-term partnership with the Ministry of Education and Training through the signing of a memorandum of understanding, connecting policy makers and educators in Vietnam with UK expertise, research and knowledge.
Our English programs and schools have been supporting the Ministry in developing the Master Plan for English Language Teaching in Vietnam 2026-2030 (vision 2045). In 2024-2025, we will provide approximately 200,000 English tests and improve the English proficiency of 15,000 learners, contributing to the Vietnamese Government's goal of enhancing the English language proficiency of Vietnamese people in their studies and work.
On the other hand, funding through the "Connecting Through Culture" project to support the promotion of artistic cooperation has encouraged the participation of genders and disadvantaged groups including people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, the LGBT community, etc. Initiatives such as the "Vietnam Creative Cultural Space" project have also contributed to promoting creativity and economic growth in Vietnam.
Tiny Giant performs at the UK/Viet Nam Season 2023 kick-off event.
Celebrating 30 years of strengthening cultural relations between the UK and Vietnam, the British Council has organized the UK/Vietnam Season 2023 program with more than 200 events including performances, exhibitions, conferences, seminars, gathering partners from 12 cities in the UK, 11 cities across Vietnam and has been implemented over 6 months.
How do you evaluate the 30-year journey of the British Council in Vietnam?
- 30 years of big changes. The British Council has grown from a small office to our current 9 operating locations and exam centres across the country. Our work has also evolved, reflecting changes in culture, education and technological developments.
However, one thing that remains unchanged is the strong partnership between individuals, organisations and with our students and clients, together building trust, exchanging knowledge, enhancing understanding and creating more opportunities for cooperation between the UK and Vietnam.
The traditional Vietnamese New Year is approaching, how do you feel about the Tet atmosphere here?
- Experiencing the traditional Vietnamese Tet for the first time was really interesting with lots of peach blossoms, kumquat trees and bright decorations. When I learned about the values that are expressed during Tet - cultural heritage, innovation, reflecting on goals and wishes for the new year, for the community, I found that these values have many similarities with our work at the British Council.
What innovative activities does the British Council in Vietnam plan to have in 2025?
- We have just moved our new office in Hanoi to Lancaster Luminaire building, 1152 Lang road, where we will bring our partners and customers the full experience of the British Council's activities and services in Vietnam.
New British Council office.
In our plan for 2025, we will continue to support the enhancement of employability, language, leadership, innovation and research skills for tens of thousands of young people in Vietnam, contributing to human resource development and Vietnam's ambition for sustainable socio-economic growth.
Welcoming the new year with new opportunities in learning and cooperation, we will continue to build bridges between cultures and work towards a brighter future for all.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/giam-doc-hoi-dong-anh-tet-dau-tien-va-khat-vong-ket-noi-van-hoa-anh-viet-20250127173122970.htm
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