A New School for Money Sense: Vietnam’s Banking Academy and Vantage Foundation Team Up

Fast overview: a hands-on push to teach practical money skills

The Banking Academy of Vietnam and the Vantage Foundation signed a strategic partnership in Hanoi to expand financial education across the country. The deal promises new courses, teacher training, scholarships and workplace connections aimed at students, young professionals and people entering the banking and finance workforce. Organizers presented it as a practical move: not just theory, but teaching how to manage money, understand loans and use banking services safely.

What the agreement actually says

The memorandum of understanding sets out several clear goals. First, both sides will build and run joint programs for students and bank staff. These include short courses, workshops and online lessons on basic personal finance, digital banking safety and core banking concepts. The plan covers both classroom lessons and digital learning tools so people outside big cities can join.

Second, the partners will focus on teachers and trainers. The agreement funds training for local educators so they can deliver the new courses. That means the initiative can scale without needing a permanent team from the Vantage Foundation in every region.

Third, the partnership includes scholarships and internships. A portion of the program budget is earmarked to help promising students afford study and to give them real work experience at banks and financial firms. That link to employers is meant to help students move into jobs faster.

Finally, both groups agreed to a shared measurement plan. They will track how many people complete programs, whether participants improve their money skills, and how many land internships or jobs afterward. The memorandum does not promise large public funding; it frames the partnership around shared resources, private support and phased rollouts.

Who’s behind the plan

The Banking Academy of Vietnam is the country’s public training body for people working in banking and finance. It runs degree programs, short courses and professional exams and has campuses and partnerships across Vietnam. The academy brings classroom reach, official credentials and links to state-run and private banks.

The Vantage Foundation is a private philanthropic group that funds projects in education and community development. It brings money, project design skills and experience running digital courses in other markets. In this deal the foundation acts as a builder of learning tools and as a financier for pilot programs and scholarships.

Together the two organisations combine access to classrooms and teachers with outside funds and technology. That mix is often what decides whether training programs reach small towns and poorer students.

Why this could matter for students and employers

Vietnam has a young, fast-growing workforce and rising use of digital banking. But many people still lack basic financial knowledge. That creates two common problems: consumers who fall for scams or select poor banking products, and employers who hire graduates who need extra on-the-job training. The new partnership targets both problems at once.

For students, the value is practical: courses designed to teach skills banks and employers actually use, and internships that can lead directly to jobs. For banks and local businesses, it promises a bigger pool of workers who need less retraining.

There is a risk that the program will initially reach mostly cities or better-connected schools. The partners know this and have included teacher training and online elements to push beyond major urban centers. How well that works will decide whether the program is a strong step forward, or just another city-focused pilot.

Voices from the signing ceremony

At the ceremony in Hanoi, representatives from both sides framed the agreement as practical and urgent. A Banking Academy official said the partnership would “help students gain usable skills that match what employers need today.” A Vantage Foundation representative described the plan as “building simple, scalable tools so learning can reach all regions.”

Attendees noted the symbol of public and private groups working together. Local educators praised the focus on teacher training, while a banking industry guest welcomed stronger links between study and work.

What comes next

The partners plan to start pilot courses and teacher training in the coming months, with scholarships and internship placements to follow. They will report early results publicly so the program can be adjusted. If pilots go well, the plan is to expand regionally over the next one to two years.