Vietnam Aviation Academy (VAA) hosted a high level delegation from Ireland on May 19. The delegation included the Irish Ambassador, government officials, and senior representatives from the University of Limerick’s Kemmy Business School (KBS).
Addressing the gathering, VAA President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Hoai An reflected on the occasion’s significance, emphasizing three decades of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Vietnam, and a genuine friendship built across collaborations in education, culture and trade. Professor An also expressed VAA’s genuine interest in developing a sustained partnership with University of Limerick, with a view to expanding opportunities for both students and faculty.
In her address, Ambassador Ní Fhallúin praised this partnership as a powerful symbol to accelerate bilateral relationship between the two nations. Noting that 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of formal diplomatic ties, the Ambassador emphasized an underlying friendship rooted in a shared history of achieving independence and rapid economic prosperity. Following State Visit of Vietnam’s General Secretary and President To Lam to Ireland in October 2024, and the formal inauguration of Vietnam’s resident Embassy in Dublin this past March, higher education is placed as a catalyst for long-term national development. She explained how strategic investments in education drove Ireland’s rapid evolution from an agriculture-based society into a modern, open economy globally recognized for cutting-edge research and innovation. As Vietnam currently undergoes its own dramatic economic transformation, she affirmed the Irish Government’s commitment to sharing this experience by funding cross-border partnerships. The Ambassador noted that while previous collaborations have successfully focused on joint research in agriculture, medicine, and renewable energy, this landmark agreement proudly extends their shared focus into a new frontier: aviation.
Professor Finbarr Murphy, Executive Dean of the Kemmy Business School, spoke at length about the basis for cooperation between the two institutions. Drawing on the histories of both nations, he identified convergence of values, a shared emphasis on education, the importance of family, and a tradition of producing talent that contributes far beyond the size of either country. He noted that Ireland and Vietnam, despite their geographical distance, have followed similar trajectories in investing in human capital as a cornerstone of long-term growth. Prof. Murphy also drew attention to the complementary positions both countries occupy in global aviation. Ireland, with a population of five million, is home to aircraft leasing operations that account for roughly 60% of the world’s leased commercial fleet, that position built over decades on the strategic investment on legal, financial, and operational expertise. Vietnam’s aviation sector, meanwhile, is among the fastest growing in the Asia-Pacific region, with increasing demand for qualified professionals across all areas of the industry. “We are, in different ways, both aviation nations and aviation nations need each other,” he said.
To formalize these discussions, the event culminated in the official signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) between Vietnam Aviation Academy and the University of Limerick. This milestone agreement establishes a strategic framework for future collaboration, paving the way for joint degree programs and specialized management courses. By combining VAA’s dynamic training environment with UL’s global expertise in aviation finance and leasing, the LOI sets a concrete foundation to develop the next generation of industry leaders.
