In order to establish an official collaboration between the National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), National Food and Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), Japan, and Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA), a delegation led by Dr. Hiroaki Ogura, the director of the NIAH, paid an official working visit to VNUA on May 11th, 2018. On behalf of VNUA, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan, president, hosted the meeting with the participation of representatives of leaders and staffs of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the International Cooperation Office.   

At the meeting, both sides exchanged information on human resources, training, and research capacity, as well as their abilities to collaborate in the field of agricultural science and technology in general, and animal health in particular. Under the NARO, the NIAH formerly called the Epizootics Laboratory, was established in 1891 and was re-organized in 2001. The NIAH conducts basic and intensive research as well as the control and diagnosis of contagious animal diseases with the slogan, "For animal health, for human health". With three research stations, this institute has been conducting diagnosis of infectious diseases in animals, and producing and providing biological products such as diagnostic reagents and vaccines. In addition, it provides short training courses for domestic and overseas veterinarians.

 

On this occasion, the NIAH and VNUA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote technological cooperation, information exchange, training, and collaboration of researchers in the following areas: i) Characterization of virus and bacteria circulation in livestock in Vietnam, ii) Development of vaccines or other technologies to diagnosis and control animal diseases in livestock, iii) Other areas determined through mutual consultations. Under the framework of this cooperation, the NIAH can receive VNUA students for internships at their research stations for 3-6 months, as well as provide short training courses for the VNUA staff on laboratory and management skills.

 

At the end of the meeting, both sides agreed to expedite cooperative activities to realize the objectives of the MOU.