Around 200 high-level guests from politics, diplomacy, business and academia gathered today at IMC Krems for the Austria–Vietnam Future Skills Forum 2025. The joint event organised by IMC Krems, the Embassy of Vietnam in Austria, ecoplus, the Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce and the Austrian Business Agency aimed to further develop concrete economic, academic and cultural partnerships between Austria and Vietnam. The focus was on future skills and cooperation potential in the areas of health, tourism and hospitality, as well as trade, IT and innovation.
Press
Austria–Vietnam Future Skills Forum 2025
Future skills as a shared agenda
The forum made it clear that Austria and Vietnam are determined to advance the development of a sustainable skills partnership. Heinz Boyer emphasised the importance of international cooperation for regional development, while Ambassador H.E. Hoang Vu highlighted the forum as a strategic platform for deepened collaboration.
The expert sessions focused on economic developments, labour market needs and future skills. Experts from both countries outlined the growing relevance of IT, life sciences and hospitality competences. A best-practice example showcased the cooperation between IMC Krems and Hanoi University, which combines language preparation with nursing training and contributes sustainably to the development of skilled professionals. Additional insights from tourism, the digital economy and biotechnology demonstrated the potential of joint educational and innovation projects.
New perspectives for trade and innovation
The economic dialogue centred on current market opportunities and investment potential. Representatives of international trade underlined Vietnam’s dynamic development and the opportunities this creates for Austrian companies. Company presentations demonstrated that innovation and the demand for qualified professionals are key drivers for future cooperation.
“Challenges can only be solved together”
In his statement, IMC Krems CEO Udo Brändle underlined the importance of international partnerships:
“The Austria–Vietnam Future Skills Forum impressively demonstrates how essential it is to bring education, business and politics together. The major challenges of our time – from healthcare and demographic developments to digitalisation – can only be addressed through close cooperation. We are delighted that IMC Krems can act as a bridge builder, working with strong partners from Vietnam and Austria to advance initiatives that benefit both countries.”
IMC Krems CEO Ulrike Prommer highlighted the significance of the forum for IMC Krems’ international orientation: “This forum shows how valuable open exchange is for both countries. Together with our Vietnamese partners, we are creating important impulses for education, innovation and skills development. I am pleased that we are shaping long-term perspectives that benefit both students and industry alike.”
Social Affairs Councillor Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister added: “Demographic change presents challenges in the health and care sectors throughout Europe. Reliable international cooperation is one of the solutions needed to give the people of Lower Austria a competitive regional advantage, ensuring that our federal state continues to offer the quality of life we value and cherish. My thanks go to Dr Boyer and IMC Krems for living, fostering and continuously developing this collaboration over many years.”
A strong signal for long-term cooperation
The Austria–Vietnam Future Skills Forum 2025 clearly demonstrated the vast potential for bilateral cooperation in education, business and research. With clear perspectives for joint programmes and projects, the event set an important impetus for a sustainable, long-term partnership between Austria and Vietnam.
