A new partnership is advancing global health through research and education across priority areas including audiology, optometry and broader health sciences.
The University of Western Australia (UWA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Vietnam’s VinMec Healthcare (VinMec) and the College of Health Sciences at VinUniversity (VinUni) – both part of Vingroup, one of Asia’s largest conglomerates.
As part of that agreement, students and researchers from both institutions will engage in clinical placements and translational research aligned with regional health priorities.
A UWA media release said the signing marked a milestone in a shared commitment to advancing global health through education, research and clinical collaboration, while creating new opportunities for UWA students and researchers to engage in impactful, internationally focused health initiatives.
It said the agreement built on UWA’s growing partnership with VinUni, first established in 2024 through a 3+2 Business Master’s Articulation Pathway Program, which welcomed its first student cohort in 2025.
The new MoU represents a strategic expansion into health and medical sciences, leveraging VinMec’s extensive clinical network to support education, research and workforce development initiatives, UWA said.
The partnership creates new opportunities for VinUni students to continue their studies at UWA through articulated academic pathways, while also supporting short-term training and professional development programs for clinicians and healthcare professionals from VinMec to undertake advanced training in Australia.
It also includes research led by the UWA Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases and Training into Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium estimated to affect about 70 per cent of Vietnam’s population and a key risk factor for gastric cancer.
Collaborations in audiology and hearing health, as well as optometry and vision sciences, will also support early detection, prevention and clinical capacity building.
Professor Silvana Gaudieri, Head of UWA School of Human Sciences, said the partnership reflected UWA’s commitment to delivering global impact through education and research.
“This agreement creates valuable opportunities for UWA students to learn in international clinical environments, while strengthening our ability to collaborate with leading institutions in Vietnam on health challenges of regional and global significance,” Prof Gaudieri said.
Professor Charlene Kahler, head of UWA’s School of Biomedical Sciences and Director of the Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases and Training, said the MoU strengthened pathways for translating research into meaningful outcomes.
“Working closely with VinMec and VinUni allows UWA to align research excellence with clinical expertise, supporting capacity building, workforce development and collaborative research that can directly improve health outcomes,” she said.
