1 / 1
Education has long been regarded as the foundation of knowledge, but these Front & Female 2025 nominees are proving it is also an act of cultural expression, a means to build sustainable environments, and a journey rooted in empathy.
The Education Award category at Front & Female 2025 is more than just a mark of distinction. It is a space to acknowledge the quiet yet transformative movements shaping the field. Whether in remote classrooms crafting handmade STEM models, in children’s books fostering environmental consciousness, or in linguistic works redefining the role of Vietnamese, each nominee is steadily pushing the boundaries of how we share knowledge. They don’t teach by rote, but through relentless creativity, belief in the next generation’s power to lead change, and a deep desire to extend the reach of education beyond textbooks.
Dao Thi Hong Quyen – Lighting the STEM flame in education
A graduate of Hanoi National University of Education and a biology teacher by training, Front & Female 2025 nominee Ms Dao Thi Hong Quyen has dedicated her life to igniting a love of science among countless students. Yet her mission has never been confined to the classroom. Guided by the belief that learning must connect with real life, she has worked tirelessly to bring STEM education to students in communities facing both economic hardship and limited educational access.
Among her initiatives is the integration of STEM into the craft of conical hat-making in Phu Tho, a project that has not only modernised local production, but also preserved cultural traditions and supported sustainable livelihoods.
From a modest classroom laboratory, her efforts have taken her all the way to the US Space & Rocket Center through the Honeywell Educators at Space Academy programme, an exclusive training initiative for exceptional STEM teachers worldwide. Her pursuit of excellence didn’t end there. She went on to join the Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) programme, which brings together leading educators from across the globe.
See also: Leadership philosophy from the female CEO who just left Sacombank
Above Ms Dao Thi Hong Quyen at the US Space & Rocket Center – NASA
Ms Dao Thi Hong Quyen at the US Space & Rocket Center – NASA
1 / 1
In 2023, her enduring dedication was formally recognised when she became the first Vietnamese recipient of the Power of Radiance Award from Clé de Peau Beauté. This honour reflected her work in empowering more than 12.4 million girls across East Asia and the Pacific through education.
Nguyen Huu Quynh Huong – Nurturing a culture of reading
With more than six years devoted to children’s literature, Front & Female 2025 nominee Nguyen Huu Quynh Huong is not only an author of picture books, but a tireless advocate for using stories to introduce children to urgent social topics. Through both words and illustrations, she has found a language children understand.
She founded Slowbooks as a creative sanctuary, encouraging Vietnamese authors to address complex themes such as climate change, sustainable development and mental health in ways young readers can grasp. Her body of work includes Smell the Smell of the Country, Live Green Then Live Fast, and Letter to the God of Death, each of which has sparked meaningful conversations in Vietnam and beyond.
Her influence extends far beyond Vietnam’s borders. She has presented Vietnamese picture books at children’s literature festivals in Korea, India and Thailand, ensuring stories from home are read and heard around the world. Through Slowbooks, she is not only encouraging early reading habits, but also shaping a new generation of critical, conscientious thinkers.
At the same time, she launched SlowCircle, a “small but strong” creative community for Vietnamese writers and illustrators. This space offers support to those seeking to craft children's books rich in cultural depth, eschewing fleeting trends in favour of enduring value.
From these sustainable foundations, Nguyen Huu Quynh Huong became, in 2025, the first Vietnamese individual selected for the Kofi Annan Changemakers programme, an initiative recognising 14 young leaders driving global change through storytelling and community work. The recognition marks not just a personal milestone, but a broader testament to the cultural influence and quiet strength of stories nurtured in childhood.
These pioneering paths are powerful glimpses into the spirit of innovation quietly reshaping education today. Who will be named the winner of the Front & Female 2025 Education Award? All will be revealed on 22 August at the awards ceremony.
About Front & Female Awards 2025
Launched in March, Front & Female is an awards initiative that recognises women who are shaping meaningful change and advancing gender equality. By spotlighting bold initiatives and achievements across a wide range of sectors, it celebrates the visionaries leading the way, while encouraging community dialogue and inspiring action.
