LSE Vice President and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education): “BUV students among the world’s top achievers are a testament to a partnership built on academic excellence”

Professor Emma McCoy, Vice President and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), highlighted BUV students’ consistent global academic achievements as evidence of the university’s long-standing partnership with LSE, demonstrating how world-class British education can be delivered in Vietnam through rigorous academic standards and strong local collaboration.

During her recent visit to Vietnam, Professor Emma McCoy joined a series of engagements at British University Vietnam (BUV), from presenting awards to outstanding students to meeting industry representatives and school leaders. This visit reflected a shared ambition between LSE and BUV: ensuring that internationally recognised academic standards continue to evolve alongside Vietnam’s rapidly changing economic and workforce needs.

Founded in 1895 on the belief that understanding society properly is the way to improve it, LSE has grown into one of the world’s foremost universities for the social sciences, this year ranked number one in the UK by the Times university rankings and among the global top five for social sciences and management. It is a standing built on rigour, and it is exactly that rigour BUV students are held to.

Where Global Standards Meet Local Excellence

Established in 2011 with a single Banking and Finance programme, the partnership between LSE and BUV has since expanded into five University of London (UoL) programmes with academic direction from LSE.

LSE is currently ranked #1 in the UK and #56 globally, with a reputation for academic excellence in finance, economics, management, and the social sciences. Studying an LSE-directed UoL programme at BUV means students in Vietnam undertake the same academic challenges as those studying in London.

“They bring together the strengths of three institutions: LSE’s academic direction and world-class curriculum, a University of London degree, and BUV’s outstanding teaching and support for students on the ground, here in Vietnam,” Professor McCoy emphasised. “Each institution contributes in critical ways, so that what students receive is genuinely more than any one of us could offer alone.”

Professor McCoy attributes the partnership’s continued success to the complementary strengths of both institutions. While LSE provides academic direction through curriculum design, assessment and quality assurance, BUV delivers the programmes through internationally qualified faculty, comprehensive student support and strong engagement with industry, ensuring students graduate not only with internationally recognised qualifications, but also with the capabilities required by a rapidly changing global economy.

For Professor McCoy, quality assurance is not simply a process, but its strongest proof lies in student achievement. Each year, LSE recognises the highest-performing students across its international programmes, and this visit gave her the chance to present certificates to BUV’s top achievers in person.

Among the International Foundation Programme’s highest achievers, Nguyễn Khánh Ngọc was recognised for placing first in the world in Mathematics and Statistics, the third consecutive year a BUV student has topped this module globally, while Hà Nhật Duy secured a place among the global top 10.

Professor McCoy recognised the highest-achieving BUV students from the International Foundation Programme for the 2025/26 academic year.

Four University of London students were also honoured for their outstanding academic performance on their respective programmes.

The achievements, she noted, are made possible not only by rigorous academic expectations but also by the learning environment students experience throughout their studies. “The LSE degrees are certainly not easy to complete,” she said. “It is to BUV’s credit that it provides the wraparound academic support that enables students to thrive.”

For Professor Rick Bennett, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice President of BUV, these accomplishments are proof of something the partnership has pursued from the very beginning: an unwavering focus on academic excellence, built by combining internationally recognised standards with a genuinely student-centred learning environment.

“Every certificate we present is a reminder of what this partnership set out to do: Give students in Vietnam access to an education that is globally benchmarked, while making sure they have the support to reach their full potential,” shared Professor Rick.

Beyond graduation, many BUV students continue their academic journey at LSE and other internationally renowned universities, while others launch careers with leading financial institutions, multinational companies and organisations across Vietnam and internationally, further demonstrating the long-term value of an education grounded in globally recognised academic standards.

Building Talent for Vietnam’s Future

For Professor McCoy, the success of the LSE-BUV partnership extends beyond academic achievement. It reflects a broader transformation underway in Vietnam, and this shift is reshaping expectations for higher education while opening new avenues for international collaboration.

She described Vietnam as one of Southeast Asia’s most compelling higher education stories, pointing to a highly motivated student population, strong government commitment to education and an economy undergoing rapid transformation.

As industries such as finance, technology and AI continue to expand, universities are increasingly expected to prepare graduates with skills that go beyond disciplinary knowledge. Analytical thinking, quantitative reasoning, problem-solving and adaptability have become essential capabilities for a workforce operating in fast-changing environments.

“The skills gap is real, particularly in fast-moving economies like Vietnam,” Professor McCoy said. “Employers are looking for graduates who can handle quantitative complexity, adapt to uncertain situations, communicate their conclusions clearly and work at pace. Those are exactly the kinds of capabilities our programmes are designed to develop.”

Professor McCoy meets with representatives from leading employers in Vietnam.

She believes this changing landscape is also reshaping the UK’s approach to international education. For decades, international education was largely defined by student mobility, with learners travelling overseas to earn a British qualification. Today, the UK’s evolving Transnational Education (TNE) strategy is placing greater emphasis on bringing internationally recognised education to students through long-term institutional partnerships.

However, she stressed that successful TNE requires far more than delivering the same curriculum overseas. “I think UK universities need to really show up,” she said. “They need to visit, understand Vietnam, understand the partners they’re working with and build relationships that can genuinely sustain quality over time.”

That philosophy was reflected throughout her visit to Vietnam. Alongside academic activities at BUV, Professor McCoy met with representatives from industry and education, including school leaders, to better understand Vietnam’s evolving talent needs and the aspirations of future generations of students. These conversations, she explained, help ensure that international partnerships remain relevant not only to global academic standards but also to local economic and societal priorities.

Professor McCoy engages in discussions with representatives and students from Chu Van An High School for the Gifted in Hanoi.

For Professor McCoy, this collaborative approach defines the relationship between LSE and BUV. “It’s not about saying that we do things best in the UK,” she said. “It’s about bringing together the best of LSE and the best of BUV to educate the exceptional students who are already here.”

As Vietnam continues its journey towards becoming a regional hub for innovation and high-value industries, partnerships like that between LSE and BUV are becoming increasingly important. Rather than simply expanding access to an international qualification, they demonstrate how globally benchmarked education can be delivered through genuine collaboration, combining international academic excellence with local insight to develop graduates ready to contribute to Vietnam’s future while competing confidently on the global stage.