HEI Schools has signed a partnership agreement with STH Holdings to develop the largest HEI Schools campus in Southeast Asia, located in Thai Nguyen province, Vietnam. Scheduled to open in July 2027, the new preschool will welcome up to 500 children aged 1 to 6, bringing the Finnish early childhood education approach to one of Vietnam’s fastest growing regions.
The campus will deliver HEI Schools’ play based, child centred learning model, with a strong focus on well being, creativity, and holistic development.
A Growing Partnership in Northern Vietnam
The agreement builds on the recent launch of Sigma International Bilingual School in Thai Nguyen, where STH Holdings and HEI Schools officially marked their collaboration during the school’s inauguration ceremony. The event was attended by local authorities and representatives of the Finnish Embassy, reflecting strong institutional support for international education initiatives in the province.
“We are proud to commence our partnership with STH Holdings and bring the HEI Schools early childhood education model to Thai Nguyen. This new campus represents an important milestone for HEI Schools in Southeast Asia, and we are excited to support local families by creating a learning environment where children can thrive through play, well being, and joyful learning. Together with our partners, we aim to build a strong foundation for future generations in Vietnam.”
Inkeri Aimonen, CEO of HEI Schools
Modern Campus Design and Facilities
The upcoming HEI Schools campus represents a significant expansion in scale. The school facility will be purpose built and will draw inspiration from Nordic design and architecture. The facility will feature modern learning environments and generous indoor and outdoor spaces designed to support play, exploration, and active learning.
The project also aligns with Vietnam’s national education development goals, which emphasise innovation and quality improvement in early childhood education.
Research Based Finnish Early Education
The school will implement the HEI Schools curriculum, developed in collaboration with the University of Helsinki and grounded in decades of Finnish education research. The curriculum supports children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development through play and inquiry based learning.
The campus will offer a bilingual learning environment, combining Vietnamese educational requirements with international best practices. As with other HEI Schools campuses in the region, teachers will receive comprehensive training and continuous pedagogical support from HEI Schools’ Finland based education team to ensure high quality, locally relevant implementation.
Looking Ahead
Once opened in July 2027, the Thai Nguyen campus will serve families in a rapidly developing area and contribute to long term community growth through high quality early education. The project also reflects the broader cooperation between Finland and Vietnam in advancing sustainable education solutions.
With this development, HEI Schools continues to strengthen its presence in Southeast Asia, building on existing campuses and partnerships in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and beyond.
