How can education keep the rhythm with the skills that businesses need for a sustainable future? This was the question that brought EuroCham Vietnam to Manila on 27–28 October for the 4th ASEAN–EU Policy Dialogue on Higher Education. Representing EuroCham Vietnam was Growth Economic Forum and Exhibition Project Manager Pauline Dutertre.
At the heart of the discussions were a focus on innovation and skills for a sustainable blue economy, highlighting the importance of bringing businesses, universities and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) organisations closer together.
For the Vietnamese business community, the relevance is clear: advancing the blue and green economies requires people that are properly equipped to turn the ambitions into practice. Outcomes of the discussion offered strategic insight and practical recommendations: jointly developed curricula, workplace learning and applied research that would offer the practical ways to connect education with industry needs, running from sustainable aquaculture to renewable energy and digital technologies.
Stronger ASEAN–EU cooperation on skills, mobility and recognition of qualifications can also support this effort, helping businesses access talent while opening new opportunities for students, workers and communities across the region.
