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When Nik Ahmad Hakim and his family first moved to Vietnam from Malaysia, they searched for a school that offered both space and freedom — a place that felt expansive, encouraging, and not boxed in by the bustling cityscape of Saigon. For Hakim’s father, the Australian International School (AIS), Vietnam, immediately stood out. Its spacious grounds piqued their interest, but it was the school’s vision of education, which values exploration as much as excellence, that solidified their decision.
“There’s a school here that judges students only on academic performance, but at AIS, they also consider extracurricular activities and your engagement with teachers and the class,” shares Hakim. “This approach drew us to AIS.”
Over the years, this same approach has attracted students from across the globe. And today, AIS Vietnam expands the minds of over 1,200 students representing more than 37 nationalities. For 50 lucky secondary students, the campus becomes a home away from home since AIS uniquely offers a boarding programme. Living and learning in this global environment gives young adults a rare chance to grow within a multicultural setting that champions leadership and personal development.
In the same spirit of constant growth, AIS is transforming its campus in 2024 with an investment of 10 million euros. Despite its already impressive facilities, Executive Principal Jon Standen saw room for improvement, aiming to elevate AIS’s infrastructure and enrich every corner of its learning environment. “When you come to a school like ours, you’re paying for quality,” Mr. Standen says. “We have fantastic teachers and students, and though we had many strengths, I believed our facilities needed an upgrade.” The Inspired Group’s founder, Nadim Nsouli, visited Saigon in early 2024 and greenlighted the refurbishment.
AIS Vietnam has upgraded its arts and design technology facilities, keeping the school at the forefront of educational technology and innovation. Source: Australian International School, Vietnam
A core part of the transformation has been renovating 50 early years and primary classrooms. They’ve been completely redesigned to offer a more functional, modern space optimised for learning. In partnership with Inspired, the classrooms now feature cutting-edge ViewSonic screens. “These screens are actually powerful computer systems that transform the way teachers teach and students learn,” Mr. Standen explains.
Beyond the classroom, primary playgrounds have been enriched with equipment from Europe’s Kompan, which is known for building quality playgrounds and fitness sites across the globe. Standen emphasises the importance of play in early education, as it encourages physical activity, as well as social and cognitive development.
For secondary students, AIS has elevated its offerings with new facilities that promote artistic and athletic pursuits. Apart from extending its football pitch to FIFA regulation size, a major highlight is a new dance studio, which has become a focal point for the school’s performing arts. With the annual House Dance Competition being one of the school’s most anticipated events, it’s the ultimate setting for students to hone their skills, reflecting Inspired’s educational pillars that emphasise performing arts alongside academics and sports.
Complementing the dance studio is the newly installed Black Box drama studio. This flexible performance space offers students a unique environment to explore the dramatic arts, experiment with staging, and engage in creative expression.
Science-focused aspirations will come to life more easily, too, through AIS’s new laboratories designed to blend theoretical learning with practical experimentation. These labs feature tiered lecture seating alongside wet lab areas, allowing students to transition between lectures and hands-on scientific work seamlessly. “It’s a setup similar to what you’d find in a university,” Mr. Standen notes.
From Kindergarten to the Baccalaureate division, AIS Vietnam students access cutting-edge resources and tailored curricula that enhance their learning. Source: Australian International School, Vietnam
Nothing less is expected of a school dedicated to providing resources for all student interests. AIS Vietnam offers around 133 extracurricular activities (ECA) for students to strengthen their passions and discover new ones, from joining concert bands, choirs, and instrumental groups to participating in sports as AIS Titans. Hakim, for example, joined councils like the Global Issues Network (GIN) and the English Project, engaging in fundraising, designing posters, and running campaigns to raise awareness about global issues.
“These activities aligned with my interests and helped enhance my university application by broadening my knowledge in areas I was passionate about,” he says. “Through hands-on experiences, like working with real communities and addressing global issues. I was essentially able to apply what I learned in a practical context,” he says.
However, Hakim’s journey at AIS has been just as much about leadership and empathy as it has been about academic preparation. As Head Boy, he embodies the values of a school that encourages each student to lead with integrity and compassion. “I want to be someone my peers can turn to, not just for academics but for the bigger questions about university and life,” he says.
With the Higher Education team’s ongoing support and the strength of AIS’s global network, Hakim feels confident about his future as he prepares applications for top universities across the UK, the US, and Australia.
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