Trends in multilateral cooperation in training and scientific research.

As 2009 drew to a close, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities continued to achieve success in many areas of its activities, including international cooperation.Over the past year, the University has increased its number of international partners, including universities, research institutes, educational organizations, and international organizations, to over 110, with approximately 70% engaging in regular exchanges and cooperation. The number of foreign staff and students participating in exchanges, cooperation, research, and study at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, as well as various joint training programs, exceeded 700 in 2009 – the highest number ever. The number of staff and students studying, researching, exchanging scientific knowledge, and teaching abroad reached 150; notably, many of the University's staff members participated in postgraduate studies and research. International research and training projects are expanding in scale and form. However, the most prominent trend is multilateral cooperation in training and scientific research. Multilateral cooperation is simply understood as the participation of at least three or more partners, distinct from the more common form of bilateral cooperation between the University and another international partner. In fact, multilateral cooperation at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities has been ongoing for a long time, but it became particularly prominent in 2009. Firstly, the development of science and technology has facilitated the exchange of information, travel, visits, and exchanges; especially the process of exchanging and collaborating via the Internet. Partners in different countries can contact and work together to facilitate cooperation in training and research with less need for face-to-face meetings. Secondly, the trend of interdisciplinary training and research is increasingly gaining attention and development. Many partners with diverse strengths and expertise seek collaboration to complement and support each other's professional expertise and create academic exchange networks for their staff and students. Collaboration between partners with strengths in natural sciences and social sciences and humanities is increasingly common. This stems from the fact that many issues require interdisciplinary research and approaches. Thirdly, the 2009 global economic crisis forced educational and research institutions to engage in multilateral cooperation to share the financial costs of international collaboration. Typical recent multilateral collaborations of the University include: cooperation with Samyung University, Korealang Company, and the Center for Korean Language and Korean Studies (HSK); and the Master's program in Psychology in collaboration between the University of Toulouse II (France), the Francophone Agency (AUF), the French University Agency in Hanoi (PUF), and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Furthermore, the University also collaborates with San Jose State University, California (USA) and UNICEF-Vietnam in developing and implementing training programs to enhance knowledge in Social Work as part of the postgraduate Social Work development plan. In addition, the University has been exchanging information and coordinating with the Australian-Korean Research Centre at the University of New South Wales (Australia) and the Central Institute for Korean Studies (AKS) to establish a Korean Studies Center in Southeast Asia, headquartered at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. [img class="caption" src="images/stories/2010/01/03/091208_5731_0040.jpg" border="0" alt="Interdisciplinary Research Workshop in Social Sciences and Humanities: Experiences and Prospects, December 8-9, 2009. (Photo: NA/USSH)" title="Interdisciplinary Research Workshop in Social Sciences and Humanities: Experiences and Prospects, December 8-9, 2009. (Photo: NA/USSH)" width="580"/>
Multilateral cooperation is giving us the opportunity to improve the quality of research and training, thereby enhancing the scientific prestige and image of the University in the world. Our training and research programs, which meet international standards, have the opportunity to be widely recognized globally. Multilateral cooperation also goes hand in hand with interdisciplinary research, complementing and supporting each other among partners with different areas of expertise. This is also a particular focus of the University in building an interdisciplinary postgraduate training center, most clearly demonstrated through the international scientific conference "Interdisciplinary research in the social sciences and humanities: Experiences and prospects"This was recently held in early December 2009. Multilateral cooperation will help us to expand the scale of high-quality training and create opportunities to build a large network of researchers. We are gradually preparing to build and establish strong research groups and centers of excellence, facilitating meetings and professional exchanges for researchers from many countries and with diverse expertise. This connection will help create an international research network. Another opportunity from multilateral cooperation is the sharing of financial burdens, allowing for financial contributions from multiple partners, making it possible to assemble a team of scientists from many countries at a lower cost. Students from partner countries can participate in internships, practical training, and cultural exchange programs in various countries at a lower cost. This is extremely significant when..." The university's financial capacity for international cooperation is limited, and the global financial crisis is not yet over. Despite these advantages, multilateral cooperation also presents unavoidable challenges. Besides the challenges of improving research and teaching quality to meet international standards and enhance international prestige, there are also challenges in management and finance. Firstly, multilateral cooperation requires a different management approach than bilateral cooperation. The negotiation, cooperation, and implementation processes demand higher management capabilities because the cooperation is more complex. Secondly, multilateral cooperation is no longer simply like bilateral cooperation where one party provides funding and the other receives and implements, or one party makes a request and the other fulfills it. The combination of professional and managerial issues becomes a challenge in multilateral cooperation. It requires the international cooperation team to be not only skilled in management but also possess a certain level of expertise. Thirdly, multilateral cooperation with partners from many different countries requires those working in international cooperation to be proficient in multiple foreign languages. Fluency in one foreign language seems insufficient in the current multilateral cooperation environment. Of course, all partners can use English as the primary language of communication, but using the partner's native language will lead to greater understanding and more effective cooperation. Finally, multilateral cooperation presents certain challenges regarding infrastructure and finance. Many long-term training and research programs and projects require stable infrastructure to assume the role of the central coordinating body for regional linkages, with equal financial contributions to partners. We must make certain financial preparations to participate in multilateral cooperation. Multilateral cooperation in training and research is an emerging trend and will certainly develop in the future, with both advantages and disadvantages. Absolutely. Thorough and comprehensive preparation will help us take advantage of this trend. This preparation includes improving the quality of research and teaching, the management team, as well as upgrading facilities and finances. With the specific strategies outlined in the field of international cooperation in the university's documents and action programs, we need to proactively prepare for this inevitable trend of cooperation.