Vietnamese Chargé d’Affaires to Timor-Leste Pham Binh Dam voiced Vietnam’s support during his meeting on June 16 with a research group from Timor-Leste under the Futuru Líder ba ASEAN (Future Leaders for ASEAN - FLBA) Initiative to discuss Vietnam’s experience in foreign language education, information technology, artificial intelligence and digital transformation in education.

The discussion took place as Timor-Leste continues efforts to modernise its education system and develop policies that support long-term human resource development.

The Timor Leste delegation included Leo Leite from the Office of the President of Timor-Leste and Florindo Junior Fernandes, an information technology officer at the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Culture.

Under the FLBA Initiative, the group is tasked with studying policy models and practical experiences across ASEAN member states in order to formulate recommendations for education and workforce development in Timor-Leste. Their interest in Vietnam reflects growing recognition of the country’s achievements in education reform and human resource development over recent decades.

During the meeting, Dam emphasised Vietnam’s consistent view that people are both the centre and the driving force of development, with education serving as a key foundation for enhancing human capital and national competitiveness.

One area of particular interest to the Timorese researchers was Vietnam’s experience in teaching English and information technology at the school level.

According to the Vietnamese diplomat, English has become more than just a subject in the context of ASEAN integration. It is increasingly viewed as an essential tool that enables young people to access knowledge, employment opportunities, international exchanges and the digital economy.

For Timor-Leste, which is seeking deeper engagement with regional institutions and mechanisms, strengthening English-language proficiency among younger generations is considered an important component of future development.

Digital transformation in education was another major topic discussed during the meeting.

Sharing lessons from Vietnam’s experience, Dam noted that technology can significantly expand access to education, but may also widen development gaps if investments in digital infrastructure and human resources are insufficient.

Drawing on Vietnam’s experience, he suggested that Timor-Leste prioritise the development of digital infrastructure for education, encourage telecommunications and technology companies to expand services to remote areas, and integrate digital skills and foreign language training into school curricula at an early stage.

The diplomat also praised the FLBA Initiative, saying that direct engagement with ASEAN countries would provide young Timorese officials with valuable opportunities to compare experiences and identify policy approaches best suited to their national circumstances.

He stressed that Vietnam is willing to share not only its achievements but also the challenges and lessons learned throughout its education reform process.

According to Dam, successful policy adaptation does not depend on copying another country’s model, but on selecting solutions that fit local conditions, implementing them in a focused manner, and gradually scaling up initiatives that have proven effective.

The discussion came shortly after the official visit to Vietnam by Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão from June 7 to 10.

During the visit, the two countries signed cooperation documents on education and higher education, creating a favourable foundation for future collaboration in human resource training, academic exchanges and the application of technology in education.

From policy dialogue to practical cooperation initiatives, education is emerging as one of the most promising areas of Vietnam–Timor-Leste relations. With its experience in education reform and digital transformation, Vietnam has expressed its willingness to support Timor-Leste in developing human resources, which both countries regard as a key pillar of sustainable development.

Vietnam, Timor-Leste agree to expand multifaceted cooperation

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and his Timor-Leste counterpart Rala Xanana Gusmao held talks in Hanoi on June 9, agreeing to further expanding the two countries’ cooperation in various spheres.