Vietnam–Sweden Health Partnership Forum highlights expanding research collaboration
The Vietnam–Sweden Health Partnership Forum, co-organized by the Embassy of Vietnam in Stockholm and Karolinska Institutet, brought together leaders in government, research, and healthcare to mark more than 50 years of bilateral collaboration. The event also outlined an ambitious new phase of research-driven cooperation centered on innovation, capacity building, and maternal and newborn health.
A longstanding research partnership grounded in trust
With participants joining from the Vietnamese Ministry of Health and the Swedish Embassy in Hanoi, Karolinska Institutet’s Academic Vice President Robert Harris and Global Health Ambassador Karin Tegmark Wisell, the forum underscored the increasingly interconnected research partnership between KI and Vietnam.
Opening the forum, Ambassador Tran Van Tuan, Vietnam’s Ambassador to Sweden, spoke about the depth and history of the bilateral relationship. He described how Sweden’s early humanitarian decision to establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam in 1969 created a foundation for decades of scientific and educational collaboration.
“For more than half a century, the strongest bond has been strategic trust and deep understanding, grounded in Sweden’s early support to Vietnam in our most difficult years.”
This historical trust, he noted, has paved the way for deep research collaboration and capacity building across health sciences.
A new era of shared learning and co-creation
In a keynote presentation, Mariam Claeson, senior advisor at KI’s Department of Global Public Health, highlighted the value of two‑way learning.
“Sweden can learn important lessons from Vietnam on how to rapidly respond to pandemics. Vietnam was identified as an exemplar due to its effective and efficient public health measures.”
She stressed that the next phase of collaboration will centre on critical perinatal and neonatal care, an area where mortality remains high globally.
NeoSpirit/NeoSurf: A flagship KI–Vietnam innovation initiative
One of the centerpieces of the forum was the NeoSpirit/NeoSurf Project, led by Professor Tobias Alfvén, a collaboration between Phu San Hanoi Hospital and KI, developing a new neonatal airway device designed for preterm infants.
Dr. Hien Vu, a PhD candidate at KI and clinician at Phu San Hanoi Hospital, presented the project’s progress and significance:
“NeoSpirit/NeoSurf brings together neonatologists, engineers, obstetricians, anesthesiologists and public health researchers across Vietnam and Sweden. It is a story of collaboration, innovation, and hope, driven by our shared mission to reduce neonatal and maternal mortality.”
She added a personal reflection through a Swedish cultural story.
“When I was young, I loved the Astrid Lindgren film Emil of Lönneberga. In one episode, Emil opens his home to families struggling in winter. His actions, later recognized as compassion and courage, reflect a core Swedish value: solidarity and caring for the most vulnerable. This spirit inspires our collaboration between Phu San Hospital and Karolinska Institutet, taking care of the most vulnerable infants, strengthening perinatal care through shared learning and multidisciplinary research.”
Building Vietnam’s next generation of research leaders
Presenting jointly, Dr. Susanna Myrnerts Höök and Dr. Toan Nguyen emphasized Vietnam’s rapidly expanding capacity in clinical and public health research.
“Vietnam is now well-positioned to move from participation to regional leadership in global health research. With growing clinical volumes, expanding academic capacity, and internationally trained clinician‑scientists, the country is emerging as a hub for multicountry studies and policy-relevant research.”
They highlighted KI’s long-term commitment to building research ecosystems from PhD twinning programs to methodological training and collaborative protocol development.
A shared vision for scientific collaboration and global health impact
Concluding the forum, Ambassador Johan Ndisi, Sweden’s Ambassador to Vietnam, emphasized the continued commitment from both countries:
“Let us reaffirm our vision: a future where Vietnam and Sweden continue to work together, advancing health for all through science, solidarity, and sustainability.”
He highlighted the Sweden–Vietnam Health Innovation Initiative as a key platform for advancing digital health, strengthening clinical research capacity, developing infrastructure, and enhancing joint preparedness for global health challenges.
The forum made clear that the next chapter of Sweden–Vietnam collaboration will be defined by joint research, co-development of technology, and long-term academic partnerships with Karolinska Institutet at the centre.