New English program deepens Australia-Vietnam defence partnership

Running from July 2026 to June 2027, the program will provide intensive English training across two semesters of 500 hours each at the MITECH Centre - Signal Officer Training School and Airforce Officer Training School in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa province.

Funded by the Australian Government through the Australia-Vietnam Defence Cooperation Program (DCP), the training will strengthen participants’ communication skills for international operations, joint exercises, and professional engagement.

Since Australia-Vietnam defence relations were formalised in 1999, the Australian Government has funded training activities for thousands of VPA personnel.

The latest program in Khanh Hoa builds on a series of successful English training programs delivered by RMIT University Vietnam through the DCP, including an ongoing program for 100 military officers in Hanoi and a previous 13-week course for Vietnamese peacekeepers preparing for United Nations missions in South Sudan.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Colonel Alana Burkitt, Australian Defence Attaché to Vietnam, said:

“This initiative is a practical demonstration of the strong and enduring defence cooperation between Australia and Vietnam. By investing in English language training, we are supporting Vietnam’s personnel to engage confidently in multinational environments and contribute effectively to regional and global security.”

Delivered by experienced educators from RMIT Vietnam’s School of English & University Pathways, the program combines general and military English with a communicative, learner-centred approach. Participants will hone skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing, alongside the confidence to use English in real-world military contexts.

The course is delivered through a combination of face-to-face classes, computer lab sessions, and blended learning. Participants’ entry levels range from pre-A1 to B1 based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), with the target outcomes including a minimum improvement of one CEFR level.

Professor Scott Thompson-Whiteside, RMIT Vietnam Pro Vice-Chancellor and General Director, said the University was proud to support Vietnam’s defence capacity building through the DCP English language training program.

“We are honoured to develop and deliver high-quality, context-specific training for the Vietnam People’s Army. By strengthening officers’ English language foundations, we aim to support their engagement in international defence cooperation and further professional development opportunities,” Professor Thompson-Whiteside said.

As the program gets underway, it is expected to equip a new cohort of personnel with the language skills needed for their evolving roles, while strengthening a bilateral partnership built on practical cooperation and shared goals.

Story: Ngoc Hoang