Victoria School System brings home two wins at Asian Management Excellence Awards 2026

The system was lauded for its organisational transformation under the leadership of its CEO.

Victoria School System has been recognised with two national honours at the prestigious Asian Management Excellence Awards 2026, receiving the Vietnam Executive of the Year - Education and the Vietnam Team of the Year - Education awards.

The Victoria School System in Vietnam received these recognitions for its steady development through a Flat Organisation and project-based management approach, supported by the leadership of its CEO, Ms Jessica Lê Nguyễn Trung Nguyên, together with the collective efforts of teams across the system.

Jessica Trung Nguyên, whose leadership philosophy places people at the centre of decision-making rather than processes, has focused on building trust, shared responsibility, and collaboration within a joyful, student-centred educational environment. Under her guidance, Victoria School System has expanded thoughtfully, whilst strengthening organisational culture, internal cohesion, and international engagement.

Under her guidance, Victoria School System has become amongst the early bilingual Cambridge school systems in Vietnam to integrate UNESCO’s Happy School principles across academics, operations and organisational culture.

One of the system’s key developments has been its transition toward a trust-based operational model. The Flat Organisation model and project-based management aim to enhance collaboration, wellbeing and shared responsibility, whilst reducing hierarchical barriers, empowering staff, and strengthening cross-campus teamwork.

Through these initiatives, the system addressed challenges commonly faced during expansion, including leadership mindset shifts, role clarity, and coordination across provinces. At the same time, the initiatives empowered project teams, introduced unified digital governance, encouraged open leadership practices, and established regular system-wide learning sessions.

As a result of these collective efforts, Victoria School System has improved cross-functional coordination by 45%, reduced workflow processing time by 30%, increased staff satisfaction by 25%, and reduced administrative workload by 40% through unified digital systems. During the same period, the system expanded from four to 19 campuses, whilst maintaining consistency in educational quality and organisational culture.

The system’s innovation efforts have focused on supporting people and long-term development, including integrated digital tools, AI-supported workflows, collective leadership practices, and enhanced feedback mechanisms.

Beyond internal development, Jessica Trung Nguyên has strengthened Victoria School System’s engagement with international and national partners, including UNESCO, UNICEF, and the Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences, whilst guiding curriculum integration across Cambridge, MOET and the Happy School model aligned with UNESCO principles.

Her thoughtful and human-centred leadership reflects a balanced approach that many organisations seek to achieve: aligning organisational growth with humanistic values, operational effectiveness with wellbeing, and innovation with long-term sustainability.

“Today, Victoria School System’s journey reflects collective effort and shared values,” the institution said. “The recognition acknowledges not only leadership direction but also the dedication of teachers, staff and school leaders who work together to create meaningful learning environments for students.”

Ms Jessica Lê Nguyễn Trung Nguyên was recognised as the Vietnam Executive of the Year - Education, whilst Victoria School System was awarded the Vietnam Team of the Year - Education for its organisational achievements.

The Asian Management Excellence Awards celebrate outstanding leadership and organisational practices across Asia, recognising achievements in employee engagement, leadership development, innovation, diversity and workplace wellbeing.

The Asian Management Excellence Awards is presented by Asian Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2027 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's employee engagements and management initiatives, please contact Danica Avila at [email protected].