On the morning of March 29, 2019, Prof. Dr. Tran Duc Vien, Chairman of the Board of Trustees and representatives of the International Cooperation Office, Infrastructure & Facility Management and Investment Office, Finance and Accounting Office attended the Launching Ceremony of the Support for Autonomous Higher Education Project (SAHEP) organized by the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) in collaboration with the World Bank, Vietnam. Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) is one of four participating universities of the project.
Representatives of participating universities and the WB staff
The subcomponent implemented by VNUA titled "Enhancing capacity in science and technology and human resources training to contribute to the National Agricultural Restructuring and New Rural Development " with total investment capital of US$ 54.2 million in which US$ 50 million is from IDA loan (WB); US$ 3.5 million is the reciprocal capital from the government, allocated through MARD, and US$ 700,000 is the reciprocal capital from VNUA. Through activities such as upgrading infrastructure and facilities, equipment for research, training, and institutional management, supporting for training programs accreditation according to regional and international standards, improving capacity for staff and students, etc., The subcomponent of VNUA aims to enhance the quality of training, scientific research and university management to meet the domestic and regional market requirements, and at the same time effectively serve the agricultural industrialization and modernization, and restructuring of the agricultural sector associated with new rural construction.
Attending the ceremony were Assoc. Prof. Dr Le Hai An, Deputy Minister of Education and Training, representatives of the World Bank, Vietnam, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Education and Training, SAHEP selected universities including Hanoi University of Technology and Science (HUST), Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh (IUH), Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Information Technology Department and Centers for Education Accreditations under the Ministry of Education and Training.
Assoc. Prof. Dr Le Hai An - Deputy Minister of Education and Training
Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Minister Le Hai An emphasized that higher education plays a key role in producing high quality human resources and developing innovative capacity for national development and has a great contribution to human knowledge. The Deputy Minister believes that along with the close direction of the Government, relevant ministries and agencies, and the strong commitment of beneficiaries and the support and companion of the World Bank experts, the project will certainly achieve its goal of improving the quality and effectiveness of teaching, research, institutional management the participating universities, and strengthening Vietnam's higher education system.
Representative of the World Bank, Mr. Aristeidis I. Panou, stated that the World Bank has been accompanying the Vietnamese Government in recent years to improve the development of all sectors especially the education. Though the SAHEP only supports 4 autonomous selected universities, it is expected that the project can help creating conditions for Vietnam’s higher education to move to higher autonomy, contributing to fundamental and systematic innovation of education system in Vietnam.
Representative of the World Bank, Mr. Aristeidis I. Panou
Total cost of the SAHEP is US$ 174.60 million composed by US$ 155.00 million from IDA loan, and US$19,6 million of counterpart fund The project has two components. The first component, improved research, teaching, and institutional management capacity at three selected autonomous universities, will support the three selected autonomous universities including HUST, VNUA, and IUH. The second component, strengthened national higher education (HE) management system and e-library establishment, will strengthen the national HE system by supporting policy development and strengthening key HE subsystems.