Hanoi · 17 November 2026 · In person and online
On 11 October 1971, Vietnam and Switzerland established diplomatic relations. Fifty-five years on, the two countries are closer partners than ever. To mark the milestone, the Swiss Institute of Management and Sciences (SIMS) will co-host the international conference “55 Years of Vietnam – Switzerland Relations: Friendship, Cooperation, Prosperity” in Hanoi on 17 November 2026.
The conference has been approved by the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences. SIMS is co-organising it with the Institute of European and American Studies (IEAS) and the University of Foreign Language Studies – The University of Da Nang.
A partnership at a turning point
The anniversary comes at a key moment. In January 2025, the two countries agreed to raise their relations to a Comprehensive Partnership. In October 2026, Swiss President Guy Parmelin made an official visit to Hanoi. During the visit, Vietnam and the EFTA states, including Switzerland, signed their long-awaited free trade agreement.
Both sides also committed to deeper cooperation in innovation and knowledge exchange. For SIMS, whose mission is to bring Swiss quality in management education to talented learners across Asia, this sends a strong signal and shows the kind of cooperation we were founded to support.
A new SIMS publication
The conference will also launch the SIMS International Conference Proceedings Series. Volume 1 (2026), 55 Years of Vietnam – Switzerland Relations: Friendship, Cooperation, Prosperity, will collect the research papers and speeches presented in Hanoi.
Join us
- Date: Tuesday, 17 November 2026, 13:30–17:00 (Hanoi time, UTC+7)
- Venue: Hall 1B, 176 Thai Ha Street, Hanoi
- Format: In person, with online participation
