BUV Launches New Scholarships to Address Vietnam’s Shortage of High-Skilled Software Engineers and Female Technology Leaders
Summary
As the digital economy is identified as one of Vietnam’s key growth pillars, British University Vietnam (BUV) has officially launched two strategic technology scholarships for 2026: the Tech Queens Scholarship and the Innovation Weaving Scholarship.
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More than a financial aid, these two initiatives are designed as strategic levers to develop a high-quality technology workforce, directly addressing critical bottlenecks in Vietnam’s technology labour market.
Tech Queens Scholarship: Addressing gender imbalance issues in technology
While many technology workforce initiatives continue to focus primarily on expanding training capacity, BUV’s Tech Queens Scholarship addresses a deeper, long-term structural challenge facing the global technology sector: the underrepresentation of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), particularly in key technical and leadership roles.
Globally, women account for less than one-third of the STEM workforce and approximately one-third of STEM graduates. At the same time, extensive research has shown that technology organisations with greater gender diversity tend to achieve higher levels of innovation, more holistic problem-solving, and stronger long-term performance. Gender imbalance, therefore, is not only a matter of social equity, but also a constraint on innovation and competitiveness across the technology sector.
In Vietnam, the National Strategy on Gender Equality (2021–2030) sets a target of 40% female enrolment in STEM disciplines by 2030, reflecting strong policy commitment to better harnessing female talent within the knowledge economy. However, achieving this ambition requires targeted and sustainable interventions, beginning at the higher education level.
The Tech Queens Scholarship is exclusively available to female students enrolled in all programmes within BUV’s School of Computing & Innovative Technologies, including Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science & Artificial Intelligence, Computer Game Design & Programming, and Games Art. The scholarship not only expands access to international-standard technology education, but also helps create new pathways for women to thrive and advance in the technology sector.
In the long run, the Tech Queens Scholarship aims to nurture a new generation of female technology specialists and leaders – individuals who will not only participate in the industry, but also help shape digital products, user experiences, and technology-driven decisions with broader societal impact. In doing so, the initiative contributes to Vietnam’s national gender equality objectives in STEM while responding to the growing demand for a diverse technology workforce among both domestic and international enterprises.
Innovation Weaving Scholarship: Investing in the pillar of the digital economy
Alongside advancing gender balance in technology, the Innovation Weaving Scholarship focuses on building depth in technical capability – an essential determinant of the digital economy’s strength. This scholarship is dedicated to Software Engineering, a discipline widely regarded as the backbone of modern digital systems, from artificial intelligence and digital banking to e-commerce, e-government, and smart cities.
As Vietnam aspires to become a regional hub for technology and innovation, the labour market continues to face a significant gap between industry demand and the real-world capabilities of software professionals. The challenge today is not simply the number of engineers, but the shortage of professionals who can design complex systems, adopt product-oriented thinking, and lead large-scale technology initiatives.
Designed as a long-term strategic investment, the Innovation Weaving Scholarship expands access to international-standard technology education for high-potential Vietnamese students. Through the programme, BUV aims to develop a new generation of software engineers with a “full-stack mindset” – graduates who combine strong academic foundations and practical expertise with a clear understanding of business challenges and the broader societal impact of technology.
Both scholarships are embedded within BUV’s technology degree programmes, delivered in an international academic environment and awarded by leading UK universities, including the University of Stirling and University of Staffordshire. The programmes strictly adhere to British academic standards, with a strong emphasis on real-world projects, product thinking, and solving authentic business challenges, ensuring graduates are career-ready upon completion. As a result, BUV graduates are well positioned not only to meet domestic workforce needs, but also to participate in the global technology value chain.
Speaking about the vision behind the two scholarship initiatives, Associate Professor Ali Al-Dulaimi, Head of the School of Computing & Innovative Technologies, stated: “Through these two scholarship programmes, BUV aims to invest deeply in both the technical excellence and diversity of the technology workforce, contributing to the development of a generation of professionals ready to lead the digital economy.”
Dr. Helen Hoang, CEO and Founder of EconTech, commented: “After more than twenty years of professional experience, I came to realize that technology and computer science are the true keys to shaping a successful and sustainable future. When I learned about BUV’s Innovation Weaving Scholarship, I immediately recognized it as a deeply meaningful and visionary initiative. This scholarship has the potential to open hundreds, even thousands, of doors for young talents to explore their future, to innovate, to build startups, and to break through their own limits. And as a woman myself, the Tech Queens Scholarship holds a special place in my heart. I truly believe it serves as an endless source of inspiration, empowering young women to step confidently into the world of innovation, to pursue knowledge with courage, and to use technology to make our lives – and our society – better.”
Applications for both scholarships are open until 5:00 PM on 4 March 2026. Further information is available at: https://www.buv.edu.vn/scholarships/other-scholarships/
