Vietnamese Students Among World’s Top Performers in University of London International Programmes

 Recently, high-achieving students from the University of London’s international programmes – spanning the International Foundation Programme and undergraduate degrees delivered at British University Vietnam – were honoured, with several securing top positions in global rankings.

In the historic setting of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, nearly 200 guests gathered for the UoL & IFP Awards Celebration Ceremony 2025, including international academic leaders, the senior leadership of British University Vietnam, faculty members, parents, alumni and high-achieving students.

The ceremony was attended by Professor Mary Stiasny OBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor Emerita of the University of London; Associate Professor James Abdey, Deputy Academic Director for International Programmes at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE); and Professor Raymond Gordon, President and Vice-Chancellor of British University Vietnam (BUV).

At the event, close to 40 students enrolled in University of London programmes at BUV received academic awards, recognising achievements across both the International Foundation Programme (IFP) and undergraduate degrees.

Professor Mary Stiasny OBE of the University of London presents awards to IFP students achieving Distinction.

At foundation level, students are assessed under the University of London’s unified international classification system. This year, BUV recorded 15 students achieving Distinction and a further 15 awarded Merit.

IFP students at BUV awarded Merit under the University of London classification system

Notably, three Vietnamese students placed among the highest-ranked globally in the IFP, a programme attracting more than 5,000 students worldwide each year. Truong Duc Anh Tuan ranked first globally, Pham Phan Anh placed seventh, and Van Tuan Nam achieved joint tenth place. These outcomes were determined through the same international examinations and marking standards applied worldwide, underscoring the academic competitiveness of Vietnamese students on a global stage.

From left to right: Truong Duc Anh Tuan (No.1 worldwide), Pham Phan Anh (No.7 worldwide) and Van Tuan Nam (joint No.10 worldwide) in the IFP global rankings.

At undergraduate level, University of London students at BUV were also recognised with academic prizes awarded by LSE, acknowledging outstanding performance throughout their years of study.

Associate Professor James Abdey (LSE) presents academic awards to high-achieving University of London undergraduate students at BUV

The University of London operates as a federation of 17 leading universities, many of which rank among the world’s top institutions in Business, Economics, Finance and Data Science. Its programmes are delivered in more than 40 countries and supported by a global alumni network of over 100,000 graduates, including Nobel laureates, heads of state and senior business leaders.

In Vietnam, British University Vietnam is the first and only institution authorised to deliver University of London programmes, under the academic direction of LSE – ranked sixth globally for Social Sciences and Management in the QS World University Rankings 2024.

According to Associate Professor James Abdey, the achievements of BUV students highlight the academic capability of Vietnamese learners within the University of London’s global education system. He noted that Vietnamese students demonstrate not only strong academic foundations but also creativity and the ability to apply knowledge in unfamiliar contexts – a core requirement of international examinations.

Beyond academic results, many University of London students at BUV have shown early initiative in engaging with the professional world. From the early years of their undergraduate studies, students have undertaken internships with major organisations in audit, finance and consulting, including the Big Four firms – Deloitte, PwC, EY and KPMG – as well as international banks and financial institutions. Others have been selected for LSE Summer School, a highly competitive academic programme for top students worldwide, or have received national-level awards in professional competitions.

University of London Finance students at BUV win the national championship at the Deloitte Tax Challenge 2026.

The journey of Luu Khanh Ngoc (Marcia) illustrates the continuity between academic foundations and global career opportunities. Having entered BUV through the International Foundation Programme, she graduated with Distinction before progressing to the University of London’s BSc in Finance. In international examinations, she ranked first worldwide in Mathematics, Economics and Finance, and later graduated with First Class Honours – a distinction achieved by only around 3-4% of students globally. She was also awarded an LSE Summer School scholarship and is currently working at Boston Consulting Group, one of the world’s leading strategy consulting firms, ahead of plans to pursue a Master’s degree in the United States.

Luu Khanh Ngoc delivers a speech on behalf of students at the BUV Graduation Ceremony, December 2025.

Reflecting on these pathways, many alumni view the University of London programmes at BUV as more than an international qualification, seeing them instead as a long-term foundation for professional development.

Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Vu Minh Anh, a University of London alumna at BUV and currently Alliance Manager at PwC Southeast Asia, said: “The most valuable thing I gained from the programme was not just knowledge, but a way of approaching problems. Studying at BUV helped me develop analytical thinking, the confidence to question assumptions and the ability to adapt proactively – all of which are essential in an international working environment.” According to Minh Anh, this foundation has enabled her to integrate confidently into the pace of global work and to face new professional challenges with resilience.

Vu Minh Anh shares her reflections at the UoL & IFP Awards Ceremony at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel.

The repeated presence of Vietnamese students among the world’s top performers in University of London programmes demonstrates that, when educated in a rigorous academic environment closely connected to leading global universities, Vietnamese students are well positioned to compete internationally and to establish their place on the global education map.