To help bridge the gap between demand and supply for tertiary education, Vietnam has opened to direct, foreign providers, and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) International University Vietnam is the first of this category. By sponsoring a large project in a country that some see as risky, RMIT Vietnam needs to be triply viable. Financially, it relies on fees, so its programs must be effective and affordable. Environmentally, with its second campus in an estuarine environment near the centre of Ho Chi Minh City, it must demonstrate sustainable development and show new ways to develop learning and research environments. Socially and culturally, it must provide opportunities for the disadvantaged and engage with local communities. RMIT Vietnam is engaging directly in community partnerships and local projects, providing scholarships for disadvantaged students, and assisting with capacity building for local universities. In an emerging economy, such a market-reliant university can contribute to poverty alleviation and sustainable development. (Contains 3 notes.)