On a brisk evening in Sydney on August 7, 2025, the city’s Vietnamese community gathered with a sense of anticipation and pride. The Vietnamese Intellectuals and Experts Association in Australia (VASEA), in partnership with the ASIF Foundation and the Vietshool Vietnamese Language School, officially unveiled VietNEST—a free, digital Vietnamese language learning platform for children aged 5 to 15. The event, which drew government officials, educators, parents, and children, marked not just the launch of a new educational tool, but also a bold step in the ongoing effort to preserve Vietnamese language and culture among overseas communities.
For many Vietnamese families living abroad, the threat of their children losing touch with their mother tongue is a constant worry. According to VietnamPlus, in Australia alone—where more than 320,000 people of Vietnamese descent reside—only about 68.8% of Vietnamese children can speak Vietnamese, and fewer than 14% possess a vocabulary as robust as their peers in Vietnam. Even more telling, just 36% of families actively create a “Vietnamese language space” at home. These numbers underscore a stark reality: maintaining linguistic and cultural heritage in a globalized world is no easy feat.
Enter VietNEST, short for "Vietnamese Nurturing Education for Science & Traditions." The platform’s mission is ambitious yet heartfelt—to provide a lively, culturally rich environment where Vietnamese children abroad can learn their native language, absorb traditional values, and take pride in their heritage. As described during the launch, VietNEST is much more than a language app; it’s a “technology nest” designed to nurture language, knowledge, and identity for a new generation scattered across continents.
What sets VietNEST apart is its integration of cutting-edge artificial intelligence. As reported by VOV5, the platform boasts features such as speech recognition and voice conversion, interactive educational games, and adaptive learning paths that tailor content, pace, and teaching methods to each child’s unique abilities and learning style. The course content is structured into ten thematic modules, each spotlighting a vibrant aspect of Vietnamese culture—think Tet ancestral offerings, the iconic Hanoi pho, folk songs of the homeland, and breathtaking landmarks in both Vietnam and Australia. These modules are designed not just to teach vocabulary and grammar, but to immerse children in the stories, tastes, and traditions of their roots.
VietNEST’s development is a collaborative effort, with the ASIF Foundation providing crucial funding. The foundation’s representative, Tran Trung Hieu, described the project as more than just an educational endeavor: "Preserving Vietnamese abroad is not only the responsibility of each family, but also requires the collective effort of the entire community. With VietNEST, ASIF Foundation hopes to create a meaningful, modern learning ecosystem steeped in Vietnamese spirit and culture." The hope, he added, is that VietNEST will serve as a model for similar initiatives in Vietnamese diaspora communities worldwide, where the challenge of language preservation grows ever more urgent.
At the launch event, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong underscored the significance of the project. He praised VASEA’s contributions and highlighted the importance of harnessing technology for educational innovation, stating, "The application of modern technology to build electronic curricula for Vietnamese children abroad is a breakthrough direction that should be promoted and expanded." Consul General Nguyen Thanh Tung echoed this sentiment, recognizing the vital roles played by VASEA, Vietshool, and ASIF Foundation in safeguarding Vietnamese language and culture among expatriates.
But what does VietNEST look like in practice? According to VietnamPlus, the platform offers a comprehensive management system for teachers and students alike. Teachers can craft and manage lesson content, monitor class progress, and communicate with students through both group and private channels. AI-driven tools suggest lesson materials, predict learning outcomes, and provide analytics to help educators tailor their approach. For students, features like regional accent analysis, writing skill assessments, and the innovative Funbox tool bring language learning to life. Funbox lets students choose a favorite character, record spoken passages, and use AI to transform their voice—making practice both fun and deeply engaging. The AI then analyzes and scores their speech, offering personalized feedback and tips for improvement.
Dr. Tran Hong Van, a linguistics expert and founder of Vietshool, likened VietNEST to a “wind-filled sail” propelling the journey of language preservation abroad. She expressed hope that, with tools like VietNEST, Vietnamese children in Australia and beyond would not only speak their mother tongue fluently, but also gain a deep understanding of Vietnamese culture and carry that pride wherever life takes them.
VietNEST is currently in a trial phase, gathering feedback from teachers and students at Vietshool Sydney. The platform is expected to be officially launched and available for free to all Vietnamese families and community Vietnamese language schools in Australia by November 2025. The project’s backers are optimistic that its impact will stretch far beyond Sydney, offering a blueprint for language and cultural preservation in Vietnamese communities across the globe.
The challenge of maintaining cultural roots is not unique to Australia. In Udon Thani province, Thailand—home to the country’s largest Vietnamese diaspora—interest in learning Vietnamese is also on the rise, particularly among young Thais. As reported by VTV, the Vietnam Studies Center at Udon Thani Royal University recently organized its first Vietnamese language training course, attracting nearly 50 high school students. These students delved into Vietnamese language, culture, history, and geography, sparking a newfound love for Vietnam. One participant, Chayanan Panmapuek, shared, "After joining the training, I learned that Vietnam is opening up and attracting more tourists. I’m considering going to Vietnam to seek job opportunities because I see many prospects there."
Director Sompon Baolophet of the Vietnam Studies Center announced plans for longer-term courses, aiming to help students achieve conversational fluency. Such initiatives, he noted, not only deepen cultural understanding but also strengthen the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Thailand.
Back in Australia, the stakes are high. As globalization accelerates, the risk of losing one’s linguistic heritage grows. But with projects like VietNEST, there’s hope that the next generation will not only speak the language of their ancestors, but also carry forward the stories, traditions, and pride of their homeland—wherever in the world they may call home.
