Cross-sector partnership to support Vietnam’s global gaming ambitions through world-class talent development

As Vietnam’s online gaming industry sets its sights on becoming a multi-billion-dollar market, British University Vietnam (BUV) hosted the forum “Vietnam’s Gaming Future: Industry, Education, and Innovation in Partnership”.

The forum welcomed Mr. To Hong Nam, Deputy Director General of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation under the Ministry of Education and Training; Ms. Nguyen Thi Le Quyen, Head of Enterprise Support at the National Innovation Centre (NIC) under the Ministry of Finance, alongside executives from leading game studios and technology companies.

The forum brought together policymakers, educators, and industry leaders to address the critical shortage of high-quality human resources.

Discussions highlighted the growing urgency of closer collaboration between policymakers, universities, and businesses to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry practice, particularly as the Government has identified gaming as one of Vietnam’s six priority cultural industries for the 2025–2030 period.

Building a workforce of 30,000 skilled game professionals

Speaking at the forum, Mr. To Hong Nam, Deputy Director General of the Department of Information Technology under the Ministry of Education and Training, emphasised that developing high-quality talent will be fundamental to creating homegrown games capable of competing on the international stage. With the industry expected to require around 30,000 additional professionals over the next 2 to 3 years, he also noted that the Government is continuing to strengthen the regulatory framework while encouraging public-private collaboration to provide long-term support for talent development.

Mr. To Hong Nam highlighted the importance of collaboration between the government, universities, and industry in advancing Vietnam’s gaming sector.

“Building a sustainable gaming industry requires close collaboration between government, universities and businesses. The Ministry of Education and Training is committed to supporting these partnership models and encourages institutions such as BUV and industry partners to take the lead in creating opportunities for dialogue and co-developing programmes that respond to the evolving needs of the sector,” Mr. Nam said.

Rethinking game education for a rapidly evolving industry

Alongside the challenge of expanding the workforce, delegates agreed that game education must evolve in step with the industry’s transformation. As Vietnam’s gaming sector shifts from outsourcing towards creating original intellectual property (IP), while embracing artificial intelligence and increasingly sophisticated studio models, employers are seeking graduates who can contribute throughout the entire game development lifecycle rather than perform a single specialised function. This calls for programmes that combine strong computer science foundations with product design, creative thinking, project-based learning, and sustained industry engagement, enabling graduates to transition confidently into professional practice from day one.

In response to these evolving industry demands, BUV has launched its Bachelor of Computer Science (Game Innovation), designed to prepare a new generation of game developers with the technical expertise, creative capability and project management skills required by today’s gaming industry.

Professor Rick Bennett, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President at BUV, said: “We built the programme around one simple question: what does the gaming industry need? Our ambition is not simply to help students earn a degree, but to equip them with the capabilities employers will be looking for over the next 5-10 years.”

Professor Rick Bennett introduced BUV’s new Game Innovation programme during the forum.

The programme is built upon three core pillars: Game Design, Game Programming, and Game Art, whilst incorporating cutting-edge disciplines such as AI, Esports, studio management, and commercial business models. Students will learn within a simulated studio environment, gaining hands-on experience with world-leading engines like Unity and Unreal Engine 5. They will also engage in live corporate projects and undertake mandatory internships from their second year onwards, leveraging BUV’s network of over 500 industry partners.

BUV’s Game Innovation programme arrives at a time when the market faces a severe shortage of visionary leadership talent. According to reports from Vietnam GameVerse 2026, the domestic gaming sector generated an estimated US$1.66 billion in 2025, maintaining an annual growth rate of 9.77%, outperforming the global average. However, sustaining this momentum requires a shift away from low-cost outsourcing towards professionals capable of delivering distinctive, culturally rich, and globally competitive titles.

The programme is strategically structured to produce a new generation of multidisciplinary game developers.

Evaluating the significance of the new curriculum, Ms. Nguyen Thi Le Quyen, Head of Enterprise Support at the National Innovation Centre (NIC), noted: “The launch of this programme is incredibly timely. Gaming is rapidly becoming a vital pillar of the digital economy, while AI and emerging technologies are unlocking unprecedented opportunities for innovation. With Vietnam’s young, technology-driven talent pool, BUV is well positioned to strengthen the connection between education and industry, preparing highly skilled graduates who can meet the sector’s evolving needs and contribute to the continued growth of Vietnam’s gaming ecosystem.”

The discussions reinforced a shared view that closer collaboration between government, universities and industry will create the conditions for young talent to flourish, develop globally competitive games with distinctive creativity, and strengthen Vietnam’s position on the international gaming landscape.

Explore BUV’s Bachelor of Computer Science (Game Innovation) programme.