Lord Puttnam, the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam is expected to pay his third visit to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from 26-30 January.  

Lord Puttnam will build on his previous visits by advancing UK Trade & Investment’s work in the education sector to meet the challenges, faced by the Vietnamese government in an increasingly globalised economy.

As Vietnam’s economy continues its rapid development, education is a key priority in ensuring that the country has the skilled workforce to meet the needs of its businesses.   Lord Puttnam’s visit will also focus on the creative industries.

Lord Puttnam is expected to hold high level meetings with government officials in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and will give speeches at the British International School in Hanoi and the Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted Students in Ho Chi Minh City.

In both schools he will talk about the need for education to evolve to meet the demands of a globalised, knowledge based economy and how technology can be utilised to support the development of a skilled workforce.  He will also have meetings with a diverse range of business groups, such as Saigon Scientists and the Vietnam Creative Entrepreneurs Club.

His two previous visits were in September 2013 to support UK Trade and Investment’s GREAT Week held to celebrate the 40th anniversary of UK-Vietnam diplomatic relations, and in February 2014.