AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF LANGUAGES OPENS IN HANOI

Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, and Vietnam's Minister of Education and Training, Professor Dr Nguyen Minh Hien, last week opened the Australian Institute of Languages (Austil) in Hanoi.

The new Institute is a co-operative venture between the Vietnam National University of Hanoi (VNU), the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the Australian Centre for Languages (acl).

Austil will deliver quality English language programs in Hanoi for students wishing to improve their English skills and students seeking to undertake further study abroad. It will also provide professional assistance to students seeking to undertake further study in Australia and to organisations and companies seeking to improve their skills in international English.

The difference between Austil and other foreign language providers in Vietnam is the calibre of Austil's institutional partners. VNU is the pre-eminent institution in the country, with a multi-disciplinary academic program and research centre. UNSW is one of Australia's foremost research universities with one of the largest and oldest foreign language institutes in the region, the UNSW Institute of Languages. acl is a pre-eminent language-training provider with a highly successful program in Ho Chi Minh City, conducted in cooperation with VNU.

The two ministers officially opened the Institute on Wednesday 24 July. Both Ministers spoke of the bilateral ties between Australia and Vietnam, and the growing number of Vietnamese coming to Australia for study. Guests were introduced by Professor Nguyen Duc Chinh, Vice-President of VNU, on behalf of his co-hosts, Professor John Ingleson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UNSW, and Ms Helen Zimmerman, Managing Director of acl.

The Institute is centrally located in Hanoi's business district, at 33 Tue Tinh Street.. The first students commence classes on 7 August.

For further information:
Judy Brookman, UNSW Media Manager 9385 3249;
Vivienne Jones, Manager, International Education Ventures, acl 9252 3788