According to a VNA reporter in Sydney, on the afternoon of March 24, at the University of Sydney Business School (Australia), the Vietnamese Student Association in New South Wales (UAVS-NSW) successfully held a congress to review the association’s activities over the past 5 years since its establishment, elect the executive board for the 2023-2024 term and set out an action plan for 2023. The congress was held in person and online.

Attending the congress were Mr. Nguyen Dang Thang – Consul General of Vietnam in New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland; Ms. Dang Thuy Chi – Counselor of the Ministry of Education and Training, Embassy of Vietnam in Canberra (attending online); Mr. Nguyen Phuc Binh – Founder of the Vietnamese Student Association in New South Wales, Chairman of the Vietnam-Australia Innovation Network; Huynh Tan Dat – President of the Vietnamese Student Association in Australia and many students representing major universities in New South Wales such as the University of Sydney, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Macqurie University, University of Wollongong, etc.

Speaking at the opening of the congress, President of the Vietnamese Students’ Association in New South Wales – Mr. Dang Dinh Hung – read a report summarizing the 5-year establishment and development of UAVS-NSW, emphasizing the contributions of UAVS-NSW to the development of the Vietnamese Students’ Association in Australia in particular and to the Vietnam-Australia relationship in general, especially that UAVS-NSW was honored to participate in welcoming high-ranking delegations to Australia such as the delegation of former Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh (2018), Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung (2019), Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (2022), Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue (2022). In addition, UAVS also actively participated in the celebrations of National Day, Traditional New Year, and Homeland Spring organized by the Vietnamese Embassy in Australia and the Vietnamese Consulate General in Sydney.

With the mission of connecting, supporting and sharing, the association’s activities aim to help international students from the time they prepare to study in Australia until they set foot in the “Kangaroo Land”, throughout their study time and after graduation. Sticking to the original orientation of organizing academic and career development activities, UAVS-NSW has successfully organized large-scale competitions such as UAVS Startup Challenge 2019, Business Case and Hackatrix, especially Career Fair 2022 with the participation of 30 businesses from both Vietnam and Australia and more than 400 registered students. This is an important milestone, marking the transformation and integration of UAVS-NSW in Australia.

Over the past 5 years, UAVS-NSW has also actively developed communication channels such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Newsletter, Student Hub… to ensure that information about studying and living of Vietnamese students in Australia is fully updated, diverse and rich.

Speaking at the conference, Consul General Nguyen Dang Thang congratulated the achievements that UAVS-NSW has achieved in the past 5 years, and acknowledged that with the strength of youth and the spirit of solidarity, mutual love and support, UAVS-NSW has organized many meaningful activities, contributing to the development of the Vietnamese student community in Australia in particular and the Vietnamese community in Australia in general. Consul General Nguyen Dang Thang expressed his hope that in the coming time, UAVS-NSW will continue to make positive contributions to building an increasingly dynamic and creative Vietnamese student community in Australia, increasing the number of members and expanding connections with student associations of universities in Australia.

Appreciating the results that UAVS-NSW has achieved, Ms. Dang Thuy Chi – representative of the Vietnamese Embassy in Australia – expressed her hope that UAVS-NSW will continue to promote its strengths, make efforts to study and conduct scientific research, make good use of the acquired knowledge and continue to have meaningful activities to promote the development of the association.

In a warm and friendly atmosphere, the conference also congratulated the students who had excellent achievements in 2022 and were honored to receive certificates of merit from the Vietnamese Embassy, ​​in particular, Dang Dinh Hung received certificates of merit from the Minister of Education and Training and the Central Committee of the Vietnam Student Association.

At the congress, UAVS-NSW elected the Executive Board for the 2023-2024 term, including Dang Dinh Hung as president and Nguyen Khanh Vi, Nguyen Hoang Nguyen, and Vu Khac Gia Bao as vice presidents. At the same time, UAVS-NSW proposed a direction for future activities, which is to continue promoting projects that are both career-oriented and entertaining to help international students quickly integrate into the rhythm of studying abroad in Australia.

Delighted with the success of the congress, Huynh Tan Dat expressed his hope that the new UAVS-NSW Executive Committee will continue to adhere to the principles set forth by the association, organize activities to connect Vietnamese students in Australia, and constantly innovate and find new ways to help students overcome difficulties and obstacles. In addition, Huynh Tan Dat also hopes that UAVS-NSW will continue to connect with student associations of schools to jointly organize exchange activities and events to promote the image of Vietnam to international friends within the framework of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Australia.