In an increasingly globalised financial world, knowledge exchange and academic collaboration are no longer luxuries—they are imperatives. On April 30th, 2025, the Vietnamese Finance Association in the UK (VIFA) marked a historic milestone with the launch of its pioneering initiative: a strategic academic partnership between London South Bank University (LSBU) and leading Vietnamese institutions, spearheaded by the Academy of Banking (AoB).
This cross-border collaboration signals VIFA’s resolute commitment to bridging educational divides, fostering intercultural competencies, and equipping the next generation of finance professionals with a truly international perspective.
The Vision Behind the Partnership
At the heart of this initiative lies a bold vision—to cultivate a new era of transnational financial education that transcends boundaries and empowers students to thrive in both UK and Vietnamese markets.
For years, Vietnamese students in the UK have sought greater engagement with institutions back home, while universities in Vietnam have aimed to internationalise their finance curricula to remain competitive in an increasingly integrated ASEAN and global economy. VIFA, serving as a connector of diaspora intelligence and institutional partnerships, recognised a critical opportunity to facilitate meaningful collaboration.
This partnership is designed not as a symbolic memorandum, but as a substantive framework for sustainable academic exchange, co-designed events, and joint programme development.
Programme Design: From Theory to Real-World Practice
The collaboration was launched with a two-phase approach:
Phase One focuses on the co-development of joint academic activities—seminars, guest lectures, and interactive student forums—delivered through hybrid platforms. LSBU and AoB faculty will co-host workshops on emerging finance topics such as digital banking, ESG investing, and behavioural finance, tailored to reflect both UK regulatory structures and the dynamic Vietnamese market context.
Phase Two aims to pilot a dual-campus summer programme in 2026, where Vietnamese students will attend sessions in London and UK-based students will explore finance in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The curriculum will emphasise comparative regulatory frameworks, cross-border investment strategies, and cultural intelligence in client engagement.
Crucially, students will also be introduced to career pathways within both regions, supported by industry guest speakers from VIFA’s corporate network.