New Pact in Hanoi Aims to Bring Practical Money Skills to More Vietnamese — Starting in the Classroom

Memorandum signed at the Banking Academy of Vietnam brings global funding and local reach together

Leaders from the Banking Academy of Vietnam and the Vantage Foundation gathered at the Banking Academy campus in Hanoi to sign a memorandum of understanding that lays out a multi-year partnership on financial education. The ceremony, held on site, marks the start of a formal tie-up between Vietnam’s main banking training institute and an international foundation focused on financial capability.

Officials described the agreement as the official launch of a program that will combine the Banking Academy’s reach inside Vietnam’s banks and universities with the Vantage Foundation’s experience in designing teaching programs and digital learning tools.

What the partnership will cover: training, teacher development, digital courses and community workshops

The MoU sets out several clear areas of cooperation. First, the partners will create new classroom courses and digital curricula aimed at giving people practical skills: budgeting, safe use of banking products, basic investment concepts and how to spot scams. Second, they will run “train-the-trainer” programs so Banking Academy instructors and local teachers can deliver those courses across the country.

Workshops and public outreach are another plank. The pact calls for joint public seminars for consumers and targeted sessions for bank employees so frontline staff can better explain products to customers. The partners also plan to pilot digital learning modules that learners can access on phones or computers, with materials adapted to different age groups and education levels.

On resources, the agreement commits both sides to contribute expertise and staff time. The Vantage Foundation will provide curriculum design, technical support for digital materials and likely seed funding for pilot activities, while the Banking Academy will offer classrooms, local networks and implementation capacity. The joint statement emphasized the shared goal of scalable programs rather than one-off events.

Who stands to benefit and how the work will roll out

The partnership targets several groups. Students at universities and vocational schools are an early focus, since reaching young adults can change financial habits before they take on major obligations like mortgages or business loans. Bank professionals — especially branch staff and customer-facing teams — are another priority, aimed at improving consumer interactions and product transparency.

Officials said the initiative will also include public workshops targeted at lower-income communities and small-business owners in both urban and provincial areas. Pilots are expected to run in selected provinces first, then expand depending on results. Short-term deliverables include ready-to-use lesson plans and a small set of digital modules; longer-term goals are nationwide roll-out and measurable improvements in basic financial knowledge.

Voices from the signing: what leaders emphasized

At the ceremony, the president of the Banking Academy highlighted the need for practical skills. “We must give people tools they can use every day — not just theory,” the BAV leader said, noting the Academy’s role in training bank staff and future finance professionals.

A representative from the Vantage Foundation described the deal as a step toward scalable education. “We will bring proven course designs and digital learning methods so Vietnam can reach more people at lower cost,” the foundation spokesperson said. Both parties framed the agreement as a collaborative effort, not one where external experts impose solutions.

Local officials at the event welcomed the move and underlined its social angle: improving financial literacy, they said, supports broader economic resilience and helps protect consumers from fraud and poor financial choices.

Next steps and how progress will be tracked

Immediate plans include setting up a joint working group to design the first pilot curricula and select pilot locations. The partners expect to launch initial classroom modules and digital pilots within months, with a basic reporting rhythm to track participation and learning outcomes.

Progress will be measured through simple indicators: number of trained teachers, course completion rates and basic pre- and post-course quizzes to gauge knowledge gains. The partners said they would publish periodic updates on milestones and lessons learned.

Why these partners matter

The Banking Academy of Vietnam is the country’s main public institute for banking education and staff training; it has deep links into commercial banks and higher-education institutions. The Vantage Foundation brings experience in curriculum design and digital learning, often partnering with local institutions to scale programs. Together, the two organisations combine local access with global program experience — a practical setup for the task at hand.

The agreement in Hanoi is clearly practical in tone: modest pilots, shared resources and a focus on measurable classroom and community outcomes. If the partners deliver, Vietnam could see a steady improvement in basic financial skills among students, bank staff and community members over the next few years.

Sources

• prnewswire.com