The final workshop for the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded technical assistance (TA) for Support to the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) (ADB TA 9449-VIE) was held on 27 August 2020 at JW Marriott Hotel in Hanoi.
The project, which started in June 2018, aimed to improve the quality of VASS’ knowledge solutions by strengthening their research capacity and enhancing their knowledge services.
Associate Professor Dr. Dang Thi Thanh Huyen, National Research Quality Improvement Specialist/Deputy Team Leader, reported that the consultant team helped develop the research manual, knowledge management and dissemination plan, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) plan, and gender and social inclusion assessment report. They also gave advice and inputs on the three model research studies on the agriculture value chain, high-quality human resource development, and renewable energy.
“The VASS Project Management Unit, the Consultants for this technical assistance implementation, and the researchers from the participating Research Institutes have been actively working very hard to accomplish and deliver the expected TA outputs. ADB will do its best to accommodate requests from VASS to conduct activities that will further improve outcome and outputs,” said Mr. Keiju Mitsuhashi, Deputy Country Director, ADB Vietnam Resident Mission.
VASS Vice President Professor Dr. Dang Nguyen Anh also said that they appreciated the team’s efforts in delivering the outputs. He also acknowledged the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the project, specifically its extension and the adjustment in meeting the short-term, long-term plans.
“I am grateful to Mr. Michio Watanabe of IDCJ and Ms. Elvira Ablaza of PRIMEX for giving us endless encouragement and consistent support. The end of our TA is not the end, but the beginning. Hopefully, VASS will apply the manuals and models and implement the plans. With all its outputs combined, the Consultant Team has laid a solid ground for long-term reform of VASS to improve its research performance.”
Masafumi Nagao, IDCJ Research Advisor
About 25 participants attended the final workshop. Aside from Mr. Mitsuhashi of ADB, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Hoai Le (Project Director), and Dr. Ramesh Adhikari (International Program Coordination and M&E Specialist, ADB) were also present.
Cover photo: The participants with Mr. Keiju Mitsuhashi, Deputy Country Director, Vietnam Resident Mission, Asian Development Bank