The Vietnamese-German University (VGU) initiated these courses after assuming the role of training managers for the IFC. To date, the university has conducted three courses: IFCR01, IFCR02, and IFCR03.

Course IFC01 introduced the center's role, functions, establishment, and operational procedures. IFC02 focused on financial markets, central banking, and macroeconomic stability.

Most recently, course IFC03 addressed specific financial product design and strategies for attracting capital to enhance the center's global market competitiveness. Mr. Hubertus Vaeth, founding CEO of Frankfurt Main Finance and founding Vice Chairman of the World Alliance of International Financial Centers, taught the course.

The IFCR03 course included 35 participants, all management officials from the International Financial Centers in TP HCM and Da Nang, the State Bank of Vietnam, and commercial banks. Photo: VGU

During the launch of IFC03, Professor Vaeth emphasized that human resources are the top priority in building the center's management and operational capabilities. He also highlighted the critical role of technical expertise, given technology's significant impact on finance. Consequently, the training program incorporates topics such as software development and the establishment of modern risk management systems.

The importance of human resources was also underscored by Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh, who chairs the Steering Committee of the Vietnam International Financial Center, at the launch ceremony.

According to Mr. Binh, developing a financial center requires five core factors: global connectivity, a stable and transparent legal framework, high-quality human resources, international standard governance, and a supportive ecosystem.

Among these, human capital is decisive. He noted that without management teams knowledgeable about international financial markets and experts capable of designing products, operating transaction infrastructure, and overseeing risks, even advanced mechanisms and policies would struggle to be effective in practice.

Mr. Hubertus Vaeth, CEO of Frankfurt Main Finance and Vice Chairman of the World Alliance of International Financial Centers, taught the course directly. Photo: VGU

Dr. Ha Thuc Vien, VGU Vice Rector, stated that the university is developing training programs for the International Financial Center along two main directions.

The first direction involves short and medium-term training programs designed to quickly upskill personnel currently involved in operating the financial center. These courses focus on practical knowledge, are organized flexibly on a credit-based model, and combine in-person and online instruction.

Dr. Ha Thuc Vien, Vice Rector of Vietnamese-German University, at the launch ceremony. Photo: VGU

To build a long-term talent pool for the financial center, VGU also plans to develop specialized academic programs with a strong academic foundation, featuring experienced international experts and lecturers. This forms the university's second training direction, offering bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in finance, economics, and management. This approach leverages the university's core competency to cultivate a workforce with solid academic knowledge and the ability to contribute long-term to the international financial ecosystem.

The combination of short-term training and specialized academic programs is expected to meet the human resource demands of the Vietnam International Financial Center during its operational and expansion phases.

In establishing the International Financial Center, human resources are considered a critical factor determining its operational capacity and competitiveness, alongside infrastructure and the legal framework.

The Vietnam International Financial Center was established by a National Assembly Resolution on 27/6/2025, adopting a "one center, two destinations" model, located in TP HCM and Da Nang. Both centers commenced operations early this year.

Vietnamese-German University was founded in 2008 through a collaboration between Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training and Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Science and Arts of the State of Hessen.

The university currently offers four bachelor's and two master's programs in economic management. These include a Master's in Global Finance and Economics, jointly offered with Goethe University Frankfurt, which equips students with knowledge and skills directly relevant to the international financial center's human resource needs. In 2026, VGU will also launch a new bachelor's program in Digital Management and International Business, further strengthening its long-term, integrated training ecosystem.

Thai Anh