Sydney Vietnam Academic Network
Impacting lives through collaborative research and education
February 2026 Newsletter
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| Sydney Vietnam Academic Network Newsletter
Featuring some of our current research projects, achievements,
opportunities, news and events
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As we gallop into the Year of the Horse, we are also gathering momentum for the Sydney–Vietnam Academic Network. This year will see a few new opportunities for our Vietnam facing academics, including short “language intensives”. Look out for an EOI for beginner level and refresher courses for anyone wanting to sharpen their Vietnamese in a supportive, low-pressure way. As staff at the Australian Embassy in Vietnam showed during the filming of their Tết message, speaking Vietnamese may not be easy but it will be fun!
We’re also lining up a program of regular shared academic meetings with colleagues at the Sydney Vietnam Institute. We’ll be putting out a call for volunteers soon – so if you’re keen to help shape the agenda, we’d love to hear from you.
And for those already wondering: the date for the Sydney Vietnam Innovation Symposium will be released shortly. For now, pencil in September 2026 – I really hope as many of us as possible can plan to be in country to make it a great one.
Wishing you all a productive, healthy and joyful new year. Cung Chúc Tân Xuân!
Associate Professor Justin Beardsley
Director, Sydney Vietnam Academic Network
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Vale Dame Marie Bashir
Her legacy is especially influential in Vietnam, where her commitment to mental health and cross-cultural partnership transformed care and capacity. Dame Marie fostered enduring collaborations between Vietnam and Australia, notably through University of Sydney partnerships that strengthened clinical skills and research. As patron of the Học Mãi Foundation, she also championed medical training and exchange programs.
Her advocacy for culturally informed psychiatric care, drawing on local traditions and diaspora experiences, encouraged collaborative teaching between Australian and Vietnamese psychiatrists, and enabled Vietnamese trainees to build expertise at the University of Sydney. Through these initiatives, Dame Marie nurtured the next generation of mental health leaders, supported early-career psychiatrists and cemented professional networks vital for regional capacity building.
Dame Marie Bashir’s commitment to collaborative medical education projects in Vietnam stands as a testament to her belief that partnership and empathy drive lasting change.
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Shaping the future of data science in Asia
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The 13th Conference of the Asian Regional Section of the International Association for Statistical Computing (IASC-ARS 2025) held in Ho Chi Minh City in December 2025 drew over 220 participants from nearly 20 countries. Talks focused on computational statistics, machine learning, data science and artificial intelligence (AI). Professor Minh Ngoc Tran (Sydney Business School) delivered a keynote on building resilient statistical models for rapidly evolving and unpredictable data. His talk featured innovative, geometry-based optimisation methods that help accelerate data learning and advance modern statistical computing. He emphasised the need for robust, adaptable statistical foundations in AI, especially for reliable forecasting in fields like finance and risk management. Minh Ngoc also opened the workshops for PhD students and early-career researchers, sharing practical insights and supporting the development of future talent. The event underscored Vietnam’s growing prominence in Asia’s data science landscape.
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Exploring climate, technology and ecology: Case studies in social science
Last year in Vietnam, Professor Jamie Cross (University of Glasgow) gave a compelling talk titled “Climate Change and Social Science”. He explored how climate change reshapes relationships between people, technologies and the environments they depend on – from green entrepreneurship and energy politics to the everyday systems people use to manage heat and cooling. Jamie also highlighted emerging work on shifting fungal ecologies and how these challenge familiar stories about risk, degradation and human–environment relations. His visit formed an important part of strengthening ties between the University of Sydney and the University of Glasgow, with a focus on our exciting work in Vietnam on strengthening One Health research by linking medical and social sciences.
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Australia Awards Scholarships
Applications for Australia Awards Vietnam (2027 intake) are now open. Study while building long-term collaborations and join a 160,000+ alumni network driving impact. These fully funded Master’s awards cover tuition, return flights, living allowance, health cover and academic support. Applications close on 30 April 2026, 11:00am Vietnam time, 2.00pm AEST
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CIGOS 2026: 8th International Conference on Geotechnics, Civil Engineering and Structures
The International Conference series on Geotechnics, Civil Engineering and Structures (CIGOS) is a global forum advancing resilient, sustainable civil infrastructure. Co-organised by the Sydney Vietnam Institute, this year it brings together researchers, practitioners and industry leaders to share cutting-edge insights and collaborations under the theme “Innovation in Planning, Design and Civil Infrastructure for Resilient and Sustainable Transformation”.
When: 16–17 April 2026 | Where: Caravelle Saigon Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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CLINICAL TRIALS IN VIETNAM
As Tết celebrations are underway, the SVI team continues to make strong progress across our clinical trial portfolio. We are actively preparing to open new trial sites, particularly for the FLIRT study, which aims to enrol 960 participants in Vietnam. This expansion reflects our growing capacity and strong collaboration with partners nationwide.
While the holiday season traditionally brings a period of slower recruitment, our team has remained fully committed to maintaining close follow-up with all enrolled participants. Through proactive coordination and careful planning, we are ensuring study continuity, data quality and participant safety throughout this festive period.
In addition, under the FLIRT program, two pharmacokinetic (PK) sub-studies are currently being prepared for launch. These studies, utilising both blood and saliva samples, will provide valuable insights into drug exposure and further strengthen the scientific impact of the FLIRT study in Vietnam.
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Immersive tech and AI advancing crisis-resilient futures
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 | A research workshop held in Ho Chi Minh City brought together key voices from government, research and industry
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Vietnam and Australia have both experienced severe flooding in recent years, making it vital to translate complex climate and flood data into formats that communities, scientists and policymakers can understand together.
Dr Joel Fredericks’ SSEAC-funded project – Advancing crisis resilience in Southeast Asia through immersive technologies and AI-supported community engagement – brings this approach into practice.
In 2025, Joel and his team investigated how immersive technologies (VR/AR) and AI- supported tools can turn technical datasets into shared, visual experiences that support better planning for flood mitigation and long-term resilience. “As climate-related risks continue to intensify, including in Vietnam and Australia, the need for engagement methods that help diverse groups make sense of information together has never been clearer,” says Joel.
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 | The Sydney Vietnam Institute provided valuable in-country support for the SSEAC-funded research project
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| His research took him to Ho Chi Minh City, where he worked alongside partners at VNUHCM–University of Science and Ho Chi Minh City University of Natural Resources and Environment.
Hands-on workshops hosted by the Sydney Vietnam Institute showed that VR/AR simulations can catalyse richer dialogue about infrastructure, policy and preparedness when local expertise is centred and participants feel safe to contribute. “Working across Australia and Southeast Asia highlighted how differently engagement is understood and practised in each context,” Joel notes, insights that shaped facilitation and workshop design.
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 | Dr Duy K Le and his team at VNUHCM–University of Science developed the immersive environments used in workshops
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The project engaged Bachelor of Design students who prototyped an immersive workshop environment to facilitate dialogue between flood experts and affected communities, integrating gesture-based interaction and an emphasis on emotional design to ensure inclusive participation.
These partnerships – with technical modellers, policy experts, students and community voices – have seeded a robust platform for a Vietnam–Australia comparative research phase in 2026.
With support from colleagues including Dr Soojeong Yoo, Dr Callum Parker and Dr Tram Tran, and with guidance from Vietnamese collaborators, Joel’s work demonstrates how immersive tools can transform not just how we see climate data, but how we act on it together. Looking ahead, Joel remains driven by collaboration, inclusion and meaningful impact, building pathways toward more resilient futures shaped by the communities who live them.
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Visiting Vietnam for research or academic adventures?
The Sydney Vietnam Institute (SVI) has your next trip covered with this handy guide to visiting Vietnam. From currency and culture to where to stay, what to do and must-try food, this guide will help you make the most of your visit and ensure a successful trip. To help coordinate meetings and let other researchers know when you’ll be in Vietnam, email Ms. Phan Lan Dung at dung.phan@sydneyvietnaminstitute.org to be added to the Visit to Vietnam public calendar. If you’re planning a visit to SVI offices, register in advance to ensure a smooth and well-prepared welcome for you.
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Something about Australia-Vietnam you should know...
If Vietnamese zodiac forecasts are anything to go by, the Year of the Horse looks set to shower a particularly generous dose of research career luck on the Tigers, Dogs, and Snakes – the official “favourite children” of 2026, thanks to their fire‑aligned compatibility with the galloping energy of the year. Tigers get bold breakthroughs, Dogs enjoy loyal cosmic backing, and Snakes slide neatly into strategic wins. Meanwhile, the rest of us – Cats, Dragons, Goats, Monkeys, Roosters and Pigs – can still expect steady or mildly helpful progress, provided we rely on actual effort rather than celestial horsepower. And if you’re a Rat, Water Buffalo, or (tragically) a Horse yourself … well, let’s just say the stars recommend patience, humility, and perhaps a backup plan.
Con giáp của bạn là gì?
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Member special offer! Online Vietnamese language classes
Interested in learning Vietnamese in a friendly and supportive group environment? Academics across the University have been participating in an innovative online Vietnamese language program with our in-country language partner, Tieng Viet Oi. Classes are held twice a week online with expert teachers from Vietnam, and are available at beginner, intermediate and advanced level.
This is a fantastic way to build confidence in your speaking and listening skills and gain insights into Vietnamese culture. SVAN members and affiliates of the University of Sydney have access to up to 20 hours of subsidised classes. Fee support is based on group class attendance rate, so why not apply with another budding Vietnamese speaker. The classes are run in collaboration with the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre.
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Join the Sydney Vietnam Academic Network to share your projects and hear about the latest news, events and grant opportunities tailored to research on and in Vietnam.
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