Vietnam/A group of students from the Collège international de Villers-Cotterêts on a training program in Hanoi

From September 22 to 25, 2026, Hanoi hosted the second gathering of the second cohort of the Educational Leaders Program, led by the AUF at the Collège international de Villers-Cotterêts. Twenty-two educators from eight countries spent four days there observing educational practices in Vietnam and analyzing how these could benefit their own systems.

The opening session on September 22 featured, in succession, Mr. Tạ Ngọc Trí, Deputy Director of the Department of General Education at the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training, Ms. Rennie Yotova, Director of French Language Teaching and Learning at the International Organization of La Francophonie, Nicolas Mainetti, AUF Regional Director for Asia-Pacific; Mr. Éric Soulier, Advisor for Cooperation and Cultural Affairs at the French Embassy; and Ms. Joanna Godrecka-Bareau, Program Director at France Éducation internationale. Mr. Paul Rondin, Director of the Cité internationale de la langue française, spoke via video. The ambassadors of Armenia and Cambodia to Vietnam attended the session. The event was coordinated by the CREFAP of the International Organization of La Francophonie.

This second cohort brings together professionals working in countries where French is a foreign language or a minority language. The twenty-two participants come from Angola, Armenia, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada (Ontario), Cape Verde, the United States (Louisiana), and Vietnam, and all hold leadership positions within educational institutions. This diversity of contexts, professional experiences, and linguistic realities is one of the program’s strengths, as each situation observed is analyzed from eight different perspectives.

An eight-month program led by the AUF

The Program for Educational Leaders is one of three programs offered by the Collège international de Villers-Cotterêts, an initiative implemented by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the International Organization of La Francophonie, France Éducation internationale, the Cité internationale de la langue française, and the AUF, which is responsible for coordinating this program. Divided into three cohorts, the executives undergo an eight-month training program combining in-person sessions, field visits, and distance learning. The second cohort met for the first time in Sofia before gathering in Hanoi.

Three Educational Settings Observed

The week was organized around three themes: French as a language of instruction and Francophone communities; harnessing the potential of digital technology; and continuing professional development for teachers. Each theme was the focus of a visit.

The participants visited Nghĩa Tân Elementary School, the Hanoi-Amsterdam High School, and a continuing education session for teachers of French as a foreign language. These visits were not study visits in the usual sense. The aim was to observe teaching practices, engage with teaching staff and students, and then discuss these observations in workshops with experts specializing in each theme, in order to contextualize them within each participant’s professional setting. The goal was not to identify models to replicate, but to understand, compare, and identify avenues for further reflection.

A Closing Ceremony at the French Embassy

The gathering concluded in the late afternoon of September 25 with a reception hosted by Mr. Didier Le Bret, the new French ambassador to Vietnam. The following day, participants explored Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Next Steps

The executives are now continuing their program through remote work. The cohort’s final in-person session will take place in Cambodia in January 2027.

Source: www.auf.org/