Article originally appeared on VN Express International.

The SACE Council under the South Australian Government signed a contract with a partner in Vietnam to hand over the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) to Scotch College Australian Grammar School (Scotch AGS).

Scotch AGS will also be one of the first international schools to teach SACE methodically and typically in Ho Chi Minh City, providing opportunities for Vietnamese students to experience an international learning model, opening doors to top universities in the world.

Professor Martin Westwell, executive director of SACE International, said SACE will provide a standard Australian education program. This is a baccalaureate degree chosen by many students in the Asia region because of a rigorous, strict teaching and assessment model, creating a space for comprehensive development for each student. "We designed SACE to ensure quality, to be student-centered, to help them not only in university, but also in their future life," said Professor Westwell.

SACE is the South Australia State Baccalaureate program, which usually lasts two years at the end of high school. This is the pathway to university that many students choose. In Australia, SACE is widely recognized by all universities in the country. Around the world, SACE has also been accepted by many prestigious universities in the U.K., U.S., Canada, etc.

Students who complete the SACE program have been pursuing diverse pathways at top global universities, ranging from trendy subjects like management, business; some difficult fields like medicine, dentistry to competent subjects like music, art.

Robyn Mudie, Australian ambassador in Vietnam, said the agreement reached by the SACE Council is proof of Australia's strong bilateral relationship with Vietnam. "The SACE program creates opportunities for young Vietnamese students to access a high-quality Australian university preparatory program in Vietnam," said Ambassador Mudie. "Cooperation in the education field is the longest and strongest relationship and will continue to be the foundation for future development between Australia and Vietnam."

Witnessing the new turning point of SACE in Vietnam, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Ha Minh Quan - director of ISB, who has been monitoring the progress in educational cooperation between Vietnam and Australia for many years - believes the SACE program would ensure Vietnamese students have the most perfect flourishing space.

According to Quan, with SACE, students will not learn in the way of copying without thinking, theoretically or merely dealing with exams. Instead, SACE creates a foundation to improve each student's ways of thinking, applying judgment and analysis. SACE focuses on equipping students with essential skills to be able to turn knowledge into reality, and into practical competencies.

The special thing about SACE’s assessment is that 30 percent of the student’s result comes from the test, while 70 percent of the final score will be recorded from the school process. Therefore, each activity of students at school is focused and brings positive meaning to them.

As a result, the SACE graduates are often outstanding in critical thinking, passion for innovation and creativity. They have communication skills, collaborative skills and are very good at problem solving. "SACE develops students’ skills, knowledge and abilities to help them succeed in an ever-changing modern world," said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Ha Minh Quan.

Currently, SACE is built on a truly rigorous quality assurance process, especially as SACE increasingly expands to schools outside of Australia. That means the students’ lessons and exams anywhere in the world - whether in Australia, Vietnam, Malaysia or Thailand - are based on a rigorously standardized process set by the SACE Council.

"The SACE program is innovative and designed with great flexibility in mind to maximize the potential of each student. This is a great opportunity for talented Vietnamese students to be nurtured in a modern academic environment, helping them pursue their dreams of entering and succeeding at top universities in the world," said a Scotch AGS representative.

Rebecca Ball, deputy consul general and senior commercial counselor, Australian Government Trade and Investment Authority (Austrade), emphasized the relationship of SACE International and Scotch AGS as a good example of growing cooperation in the field of education between Australia and Vietnam.

"Australia is always a favorite destination for Vietnamese students. There are more and more people who are studying degrees in Vietnam. This cooperation will create conditions and an international learning environment for Vietnamese students in today's digital world."

Scotch College Adelaide,the school with more than 100 years of establishment and development in Australia,will officially launch in Vietnam. Starting with the launching of Scotch AGS International School in 2022, Scotch College Adelaide aimsto bring the desire to share and create a generation of talented Vietnamese students. 

Scotch AGS training program is for students from grades 1 to 12 with the Australian Baccalaureate - SACE recognized around the world.

With a mission to train each student to become a global citizen possessing leadership competence and lifelong learning capability, Scotch AGS focuses on exploiting the full potential of each student’s academic skills, culture, music, and physical activities.

Students will develop in an environment where mental health, learning encouragement, and awareness of community are valued. Scotch AGS will also empower students’ self-study ability and prepare for them the best learning pathway to conquer top universities all over the world.

Scotch College Australian Grammar School

For more information on Scotch AGS, click here