University of Westminster alumna Van Anh Nguyen recently won the Social Action Award at the British Council’s Study UK Alumni Awards in Vietnam, which recognises alumni who have made an exceptional contribution and commitment to creating positive social change and improving the lives of others.
This year, the British Council held the Study UK Alumni Awards for the 12th year. The ceremony was held on 28 February and highlighted the impact that international alumni of UK higher education institutions are making in their chosen fields and how this was sparked by their studies in the UK.
Van Anh Nguyen graduated from Westminster Business School’s Management MA course in 2013 and is now a lecturer at VinUniversity. In 2010, she co-founded VietPro, a non-profit organisation that brings together leaders, experts and students to connect the UK and Vietnam through free capacity building, mentoring, knowledge exchange and opportunities sharing.
VietPro has nearly 6,500 members in the UK and thousands of alumni who, after studying and working in the UK, have relocated to Vietnam and other countries. Over the past 15 years, VietPro’s volunteer-led initiative has helped more than 20,000 students and young professionals. The organisation has reached great heights, receiving four Certificates of Merit from the Vietnamese government during her time as a committee executive.
Along with this, Nguyen has launched several education projects that have received international awards and recognition, including her AI‑enabled Career Development Guidebook, which won Gold at Quacquarelli Symonds Reimagine Education Awards 2024 and was later selected by Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training for the National Independence Day exhibition.
As the first Fellow Chartered Accountant in Vietnam from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), she aspires to continue driving innovation in teaching, impact-driven research and the upscaling of initiatives that provide development for young talents and future leaders.
About the award, Van Anh Nguyen said: “Winning the Study UK Alumni Award for Social Action is a deeply meaningful recognition, not only of my personal journey but of the collective efforts of VietPro co-founders, executives and members who have contributed over the years. It's great to see VietPro successful members and students returning to Vietnam, making positive impacts to the Vietnamese economy and contributing to nurturing young talents and future leaders like me. It reaffirms my belief that education and international networks can create lasting impacts when we choose to share with and support others. I hope my story will inspire more alumni to ‘pay it forward’ to the next generations.”
Her work toward the award directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) 4: Quality Education. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Learn more about Business and Management courses at the University of Westminster.
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