The working session took place in an open and substantive atmosphere, focusing on strategic synergies between Ho Chi Minh City and Melbourne—two dynamic metropolises sharing similar development paths and facing common challenges in education, healthcare, transportation, green space, public services, and competitiveness within the knowledge economy.

During the meeting, VNUHCM representatives introduced its role as a major multidisciplinary university with eight member universities and a specialized high school, forming an integrated education-research-innovation ecosystem from secondary to postgraduate levels. Given the existing cooperation framework between Ho Chi Minh City and Melbourne, VNUHCM aims to serve as a key player in bridging knowledge, developing high-quality human resources, promoting applied research, and implementing innovative solutions to address urban challenges.

Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece shared Melbourne's experience in building a livable, dynamic, and harmonious city. With a population exceeding 5 million, Melbourne focuses not only on scale but also on quality of life, inclusivity, international connectivity, and the innovative capacity of the urban ecosystem. From Melbourne's perspective, the Lord Mayor emphasized that universities are among a nation's most effective "international connection vehicles," as they congregate young talent, new ideas, fresh knowledge, and the potential for long-term partnerships.

A key point of mutual interest was the "Triple Helix" connection (university-industry-government) to drive innovation. Melbourne holds a significant advantage with top-tier institutions like the University of Melbourne and Monash University, alongside a broad ed-tech ecosystem where models like Melbourne Connect serve as vital hubs for researchers, businesses, startups, and the public sector. VNUHCM expressed its desire to strengthen ties with these hubs to learn from their ecosystem organization and develop exchange programs for researchers, faculty, and students to solve urban problems through technology.

The two sides also discussed specific initiatives, including the Melbourne Innovation Connections Programme, which could bring innovation leaders from Ho Chi Minh City to Melbourne to form strategic partnerships while helping Melbourne startups expand into the Vietnamese market. Conversely, Vietnamese startups, particularly in strategic technology sectors, could access Australia’s network of experts, investors, and universities to enhance their competitiveness.

A significant upcoming milestone mentioned was the Business Partner Cities Roundtable, scheduled to be held in Ho Chi Minh City in October 2026. Melbourne expects to send a delegation to further broaden exchanges on urban development, entrepreneurship, and sustainable cooperation models. Previously, programs such as entrepreneur exchanges and digital economy forums like DigiFrontiers have laid the groundwork for deeper future initiatives.

Beyond innovation and entrepreneurship, the session expanded to social topics of strategic importance, including gender equality and women's leadership development. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai shared Vietnam's commitment to promoting gender equality as the country continues to refine its related policies and laws. The Lord Mayor shared personal experiences from his time working with Australia’s first female Prime Minister, highlighting the role of diversity in urban governance. He noted that as a multicultural city where a large percentage of residents were born abroad, Melbourne maintains strong social harmony and community spirit.

Melbourne representatives also offered policy insights for Vietnam’s startup ecosystem, noting that early-stage investment incentives, tax structures, capital mobilization, and investor support mechanisms are critical factors for growth. Additionally, visa issues were identified as a practical barrier to mobility and business connectivity between Australia and Vietnam.

Another highlight was the role of the Vietnamese alumni network from Australian universities. It was noted that many Vietnamese technical talents return home or develop their careers in Vietnam due to the rapidly growing domestic market and abundant opportunities for innovation. This network serves as a vital resource to connect universities, businesses, and investors across both nations.

Concluding the session, both parties agreed to maintain communication and advance specific collaboration paths. The delegation’s next steps include working with the University of Melbourne on university connectivity and the research-industry-urban partnership model.

The meeting with the Lord Mayor not only opened a new channel for VNUHCM within Melbourne’s innovation ecosystem but also solidified VNUHCM’s role in international connectivity and its commitment to accompanying Ho Chi Minh City in becoming a leading innovative, integrated, and livable city in the region.