Promoting scientific and technological relations with the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

Attending the reception, on the side of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities were Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Kim (Party Secretary, Vice Rector), Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh (Former Rector – Director of the Institute of Policy & Management), Dr. Dao Thanh Truong (Vice Director of the Institute of Policy & Management), and Ms. Luong Ngoc Vinh (Deputy Head of the Cooperation and Development Department); on the side of the Lao Ministry of Science and Technology delegation were Mr. Sakhone Chaleunvong (Deputy Minister of Science and Technology of Laos), Mr. Phimpha Outthachack (Deputy Director of the Planning and Cooperation Department, Ministry of Science and Technology of Laos), Mr. Somchit Paseutsak (Deputy Director of the Personnel and Organization Department, Ministry of Science and Technology of Laos) and a number of officials and staff from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Laos.

On behalf of the leadership of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Kim (Party Secretary, Vice Rector of the University) briefly introduced the University of Social Sciences and Humanities to the delegation from the Lao Ministry of Science and Technology. The University is a key member of the Vietnam National University, Hanoi, with 16 faculties, 12 research centers, 1 research institute, and 1 museum. Notably, the University's Institute of Policy and Management is one of the pioneering units in research and policy consulting in the field of science and technology in Vietnam. The Institute has implemented cooperation projects with the Rosa Luxemburg Institute; organized more than 24 training courses on policy planning and analysis skills in localities and annual training courses on policy analysis, planning, and evaluation skills for officials of the National Assembly Office; and signed cooperation agreements with many domestic partners such as the Institute of Legislative Studies (under the Standing Committee of the National Assembly) and foreign partners such as Lund University (Sweden). The Institute collaborated with the University of Potsdam, the University of Greifwald, and the University of Munich (Federal Republic of Germany). Between 2014 and 2016, the Institute spearheaded five national-level projects and two provincial-level projects, as well as two international projects funded by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation – Federal Republic of Germany.

Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Kim (Party Secretary, Vice Rector of the University) introduces the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

On behalf of the Institute of Policy and Management, Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh (former Rector of the University – Director of the Institute of Policy and Management) presented several proposals for cooperation between the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam, and the Ministry of Science and Technology of Laos. In the field of training, the Institute of Policy and Management proposed collaborating with the Lao Center for Training and Capacity Building for Elected Representatives to organize training and capacity building in policy analysis and evaluation for National Assembly and provincial/city People's Council representatives of Laos. In the field of research, the Institute of Policy and Management wished to sign a Circular on science and technology management with a focal agency in Laos to assess the current state and effectiveness of science and technology management in Vietnam and Laos. Specifically, the two sides would co-organize international workshops to exchange and share experiences between the two countries in science and technology management activities. In addition, Professor Dr. Professor Nguyen Van Khanh expressed his hope that the Lao Ministry of Science and Technology would continue to trust and send Lao students and trainees to the School for research and study.

Professor, Doctor, People's Teacher Nguyen Van Khanh (Former Rector of the University - Director of the Institute of Policy & Management) proposed several collaborative activities.

On behalf of the delegation from the Lao Ministry of Science and Technology, Mr. Sakhone Chaleunvong expressed sincere and profound gratitude for the warm welcome from the University. He also welcomed and supported the proposals of Professor, Doctor, and People's Teacher Nguyen Van Khanh and stated that he would soon inform the relevant ministries and agencies of the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic to promptly implement the aforementioned proposals. He said that the Lao Ministry of Science and Technology, as well as the Lao government, are very interested in the training of human resources in science and technology in the country and are ready to seize opportunities to strengthen the current human resources in science and technology. Therefore, he believes that with the position and capacity of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in training human resources in science and technology management, the University can fulfill this role well. This is evidenced by the fact that among the 50 Lao students studying at the School, there are 2 students from the Lao Ministry of Science and Technology who are pursuing a master's program in Science and Technology Management organized by the School's Faculty of Management Science.

After the working session concluded, Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Kim invited Comrade Sakhone Chaleunvong and the delegation from the Lao Ministry of Science and Technology to visit several institutes and research agencies at the University, such as the Institute of Policy and Management and the Museum of Anthropology.