How Education Shapes Vietnam’s Growth | Faculty Fridays with Distinguished Professor Andrew K. Rose

Why It Matters

Elevating business education in Vietnam accelerates productivity gains and deepens trade links, directly benefiting regional economies like Singapore.

Key Takeaways

• Vietnam excels in primary and secondary education, boosting literacy.
• Tertiary sector expanding rapidly, yet business curricula remain underdeveloped.
• NUS Business School offers low‑cost digital marketing second‑degree programs.
• Enhanced business skills will raise Vietnam’s workforce productivity and innovation.
• Vietnam’s growth fuels ASEAN trade, benefiting Singapore’s export markets.

Summary

The video features Distinguished Professor Andrew K. Rose discussing how education underpins Vietnam’s rapid economic expansion. He highlights the country’s strong primary and secondary schooling while noting that tertiary education, especially business training, is still catching up.

Rose points out that Vietnam’s higher‑education system is growing quickly, yet curricula in digital marketing and other business disciplines lag behind. He proposes that the National University of Singapore’s Business School can fill this gap by offering affordable second‑degree programs focused on practical digital‑marketing skills.

"We can add tremendous value at relatively low cost," Rose says, emphasizing a win‑win for both NUS and Vietnam. The partnership aims to boost workforce productivity, foster innovation, and create a pipeline of talent equipped for a modern economy.

If Vietnam continues on this trajectory, its rising purchasing power will increase demand for Singaporean exports, strengthening ASEAN trade ties and regional stability. Improved business education thus becomes a strategic lever for both domestic growth and broader economic integration.

Original Description

Education has been a key driver of Vietnam’s economic rise but how can it continue to support future growth?

In Episode 2 of Faculty Fridays, Distinguished Professor Andrew K. Rose unpacks how strengthening tertiary education and skills can unlock productivity gains, and why Vietnam’s continued success benefits Singapore, ASEAN, and the global economy.

Faculty Fridays is a NUS Business School short video series featuring faculty, alumni, and partners sharing insights on trends shaping business, research, policy, and society.