Prof. Rick Bennett to become BUV deputy vice chancellor and vice president

Professor Rick Bennett

Bennett holds a PhD from The University of Sydney. He is also a graduate of the University of New South Wales with a Master’s degree in Higher Education and received his Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Bristol Polytechnic in the UK.

Bennett has spent more than seven years on the academic board and governance committees at RMIT Vietnam. He has spent the last two years as the executive dean academic and was responsible for 15 academic and student support departments. Prior to that, he was dean of the School of Communication and Design for four years.

Earlier in his career, he held an associate professor position at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and a visiting professor role at De La Salle College of Saint Benilde University at Manila in the Philippines. He also brings significant teaching and research experience along with expertise from national and international conferences, seminars, and workshop presentations across the world.

“Professor Bennett is an experienced academic with an outstanding teaching and research record, along with a wealth of senior academic leadership experience,” said BUV vice-chancellor and president Raymond Gordon. “He comes to BUV with a valuable understanding of international higher education in Vietnam, especially in innovation and design, learning and teaching strategies, student support services, and digital education. His profile directly aligns with BUV's mission, and his skills will further strengthen the senior leadership team of BUV.”

Bennett said, “I look forward to applying my experience and skills to BUV's mission. Having lived in Vietnam for seven years, I already love the country and have a great fondness for its people and respect for their government;

“The coming years are going to be incredibly exciting for me. BUV has some amazing plans that will raise the bar in international education in Vietnam, and I can’t wait to join the BUV team and be a part of bringing these plans to fruition.”

Prof. Bennett’s appointment as BUV deputy vice chancellor and vice president is effective from April 4.

Bennett praises BUV for the focus of its vision and mission, its significant investment into building one of the world’s outstanding university campuses, the delivery of high-quality British degrees, and for the impact, the University is making on the quality of higher education in Vietnam.

BUV is the first and only international university in Vietnam accredited to deliver full UK degree programmes by two prestigious universities in the UK, the University of London and Staffordshire University. Established in 2009, BUV has four discipline-based schools each of which is producing research outcomes and teaching pre-university, undergraduate, and postgraduate programmes.