On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the cooperation and development relationship between Rosa Luxemburg Institute and USSH, Hanoi Television interviewed Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh - Rector of the school. USSH respectfully re-introduces the content of this interview.
1. Could you tell us about the process of establishing the relationship between the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and the Rosa Luxemburg Institute?The Rosa Luxemburg Foundation (RLS) is a representative organization of the Social Democratic Party (PDS), which has a close view to the current Left Party of the Federal Republic of Germany, named after the outstanding politician and German heroine, Mrs. Rosa Luxemburg. For the RLS Institute, the Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanities is the first unit in Vietnam to have a cooperative relationship, starting in 2001 with the visit of Mr. Jorg Schultz. In 2002, the RLS Institute officially signed a cooperative relationship with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi with a 3-year funding program on policy research. In 2008, the Institute continued to expand cooperation with the school by signing a cooperation agreement to implement 3 projects: 1/ Policy research to improve the capacity of policy makers and socio-political organizations; 2/ Innovation in education policy; 3/ Choosing left-wing theories in a changing world. Up to now, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities has had over 10 years of cooperation with the RLX Institute. After 10 years of cooperation and development, from the first partner, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, to date, the RLS Institute has had nearly 20 partners with dozens of cooperation projects in Vietnam.
2. Could you please evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the cooperation between RLS Institute and the School?During 10 years of cooperation with RLS Institute, through many different cooperation projects, the School has achieved many important results. a. Regarding research. The two sides have conducted research and organized 13 seminars and workshops in Vietnam and the Federal Republic of Germany. In addition, a number of delegations have been sent to study and exchange experiences in policy analysis research in Vietnam, Germany, China, Singapore, etc., helping Vietnamese researchers and lecturers accumulate more knowledge and experience in the field of research, planning and policy implementation, especially in the field of Science - Education. At the same time, many documents on Policy Science have been translated and compiled, including a textbook on Policy Science that has been included in the undergraduate curriculum of Management Science; Published the book “Policy analysis and planning skills” to serve training courses on policy analysis and planning skills for Vietnamese National Assembly delegates from 2011 to 2015. b. Training. - Develop and teach 3 subjects on Policy Science at the undergraduate level for students of the Faculty of Management Science. - Train some soft skills for students, enhance the role of businesses and the labor market, strengthen the connection between agencies, labor-using units and the training work of the School. - Organize more than 20 training courses on policy analysis and planning skills for policy officers in provinces and cities in the country and abroad. c. International cooperation - Build cooperative relationships with a number of universities in Germany, China, Singapore, Italy, ... to develop the policy science industry, first of all public policy. - Conducting lecturer exchanges, coordinating the organization of seminars and scientific conferences on Policy Science with a number of research institutes and universities in Asia and Europe. d. Establishing a Center for Policy Research and Analysis (CEPSTA) and building a policy research network in Vietnam. To implement cooperation projects with the RLS Institute and build a policy research network, the school established the Center for Policy Research and Analysis (CEPSTA) in 2007. - Through CEPSTA, the school has increased the implementation of partnership expansion activities to build a policy research network with hundreds of policy makers and implementers, including National Assembly deputies, working and operating in many universities, research institutes, or in ministries, branches, and provinces nationwide.
3. How would you evaluate the activities and role of CEPSTA?Established in 2007, the center has performed well in its functions of research, professional training and consultancy on policy planning and implementation issues. As the focal point for receiving and implementing cooperation projects with the RLS Institute, the Center (CEPSTA) of the University has built and developed a network (including dozens of research institutions and universities) on Policy Science in Vietnam. The Center has also implemented training courses on research and policy planning skills for hundreds of National Assembly, central and local officials, contributing to innovation and improvement of analysis and policy planning skills, and socio-economic development in localities.
4. Can you suggest some ideas to promote cooperation with RLS Institute in the future?- Regarding organization, the School wishes to continue to receive support in terms of experience and resources from the RLS Institute for development. On that basis, in the near future, it is hoped to develop the CEPSTA Center into a Policy Institute, playing a leading role for Vietnam like the Lee Kuan Yew Policy Institute for Singapore in this field. - Regarding policy research: + The Institute continues to support the School to implement training courses and workshops to foster skills in research, planning, and policy implementation for local officials, especially those in remote, mountainous areas... - areas with few opportunities to be trained and learn about this field. + Support in building the Policy Science major, first of all, public policy, into an independent major in the University of Social Sciences and Humanities at all three levels from bachelor's, master's to doctoral. + Support projects on environmental policy, climate change response, sustainable development, especially in the field of science and education policy activities. In short, after 10 years of cooperation with the RLS Institute, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in particular, Vietnam in general has had important changes from awareness to policy planning and implementation activities, contributing to the formation and development of the Policy Science sector in Vietnam. On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of cooperation with Vietnam, on behalf of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU - the first partner of the Institute in Vietnam, I would like to sincerely thank the generations of leaders of the RLS Institute, the heads of the representative offices and members of the Institute in Hanoi for their enthusiastic and effective attention and support to the University and Vietnam, making important contributions to the development of higher education and the country of Vietnam in the past decade. I wish the cooperation between RLS Institute and Vietnam to continue to develop, and wish the position and prestige of the Institute to be increasingly enhanced in Vietnam and around the world, worthy of the name and great thoughts of the heroine Rosa Luxemburg.
Thank you very much.
