We are proud that Curtin University has once again been selected to coordinate and deliver the Women in Leadership Journey 6 (WILJ6) in conjunction with the Vietnam Australia Centre (VAC). This short course is one of the pioneering initiatives of the VAC and is a critical training activity to build leadership capacity and advance equity and equality policies, especially with respect to gender. It is also one of many activities aimed at contributing to the joint statement on the elevation to a comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Australia, which was announced on 7 March 2024.
Professor Linley Lord, Pro Vice-Chancellor and President of Singapore, Associate Professor Samantha Owen, Program co-lead and Director of Gender Equity and Inclusion, and Dr Tien Nguyen, Program co-lead and Curtin Singapore’s co-lead of the Gender Research Network, travel to Vietnam to launch the Women in Leadership Journey 6 in Hà Nội on 21 April 2024.
WILJ6 opened in Hà Nội on 21 April 2024. Professor Linley Lord represented Curtin University’s VC Professor Harlene Hayne to warmly welcome 20 selected women senior leaders from 11 central government agencies and associated organisations, and to deliver a thought-provoking keynote on Women and Leadership from a transnational perspective. The opening remarks, delivered by Associate Professor Samantha Owen, set the tone for the transformative journey that lies ahead.
Professor Linley Lord, Associate Professor Samantha Owen, and Dr Tien Nguyen were joined by representatives from Aus4Skills and the Vietnam Australia Centre (VAC), 20 inspiring women senior leaders from 11 Party and government agencies and associated organisations, and distinguished guests from The Office of the Government, Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Vietnam Women’s Union, and Institute for Social Development Studies.
The program is co-led by Associate Professor Samantha Owen, Director of Gender Equity and Inclusion and Academic co-Lead of Gender Research Network, and Dr Tien Nguyen, Curtin Singapore’s co-Lead in the Gender Research Network and Deputy Chair of the Curtin University Gender Equity and Inclusion Advisory Group. The core team members include Professor Linley Lord, Pro Vice-Chancellor and President of Curtin Singapore and co-lead of Curtin Singapore in the Gender Research Network, Professor Katie Ellis, Academic co-Lead of the Gender Research Network and Director of the Centre for Culture and Technology, Professor Julia Richardson, Head of School of Marketing and Management – Faculty of Business and Law, and Dr Khuong Truong, Faculty of Business and Law. The program is supported by Dr Steve Brown and his team at the Faculty of Business and Law’s Executive Education. The team also includes other academic and professional staff from Curtin Gender Research Network, Office of the Provost, the Faculties of Business and Law and of Humanities, Curtin Singapore, and Curtin Mauritius.
The WILJ6 introductory workshop commenced on the same day following the opening ceremony. Participants were familiarised with program objectives, engaged in team building activities and a meaningful conversation about Disability and Inclusion in Vietnam and Australia with Professor Katie Ellis and Dr Vo Thi Hoang Yen from DRD Vietnam, briefed on the application project component of the program, introduced to action research as an approach and a tool for their application project design and development, and provided opportunities to expand their networks and listen to some past participants with outstanding application projects from WIL Journey 5.
Building on this foundation, Step 2 of WIL Journey 6, the 5-day intensive training program led by Dr Hien Luong and her team from the Centre for Gender Studies and Women’s Leadership (GeLEAD) at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, took place from May 24th to May 28th, 2024, in Quy Nhon, Vietnam.
Stay tuned for more exciting updates about our wonderful journey.
Professor Linley Lord, Associate Professor Samantha Owen, and Dr Tien Nguyen were joined by 3 WILJ5’s alumna: Ms Hoang Thi Thu Hien from the Office of the Government, Ms Nguyen Thi Thanh Xuan from the External Relation Commission of the Party, and Ms Tran Thuy Quynh Ngan from DRD Vietnam (online) in the application project information sharing session with the WIL Journey 6 participants.
