|
1.
Background
The number of Vietnamese
students who study economics in Japan is increasing rapidly. Most of
them are young researchers and government officials. However, until now
there has been no place or means to express and exchange their views on a
regular basis, engage in discussion with Japanese economists or
officials, or feed
the ideas back to the home country. Therefore, we have set up this club
on May 31, 2003 to facilitate these academic activities, which would also play
important roles in promoting international exchange and cooperation as
well as enhancing the research capacity of the Vietnamese student
community.
2.
Objectives
To promote high quality research on the Vietnamese economy
To offer a forum
for intellectual exchange among people sincerely interested or deeply
involved in Vietnam's economic policy
To disseminate
analysis and proposals in order to improve Vietnam's economic policy
To stimulate
similar academic activities in Vietnam
To provide
information exchange service for Vietnam's economic research
To draft
handbooks or other materials for Vietnamese students in Vietnam
To publish
articles or journals of international standard
3.
Name
"The Japan-Vietnam
Economist Club" (JVEC for short).
4.
Legal status
The JVEC is established
informally without legal status. After the JVEC activities are firmly
established and expanded, a formal legal status may be assumed.
5.
Membership
The following
individuals are eligible for the membership of the JVEC.
- Vietnamese nationals with the knowledge of economics at the
graduate level (undergraduate students can join the JVEC
as observers,
not official members, except special cases approved by the JVEC
leaders)
- Vietnamese researchers and officials engaged in the analysis,
formulation or implementation of Vietnam's economic policy
- Professors, researchers and experts in
Japan with great interest and knowledge of the Vietnamese economy (any
nationality)
- Other individuals approved by the JVEC
leaders
6.
Group leaders
Chairpersons:
- Professor Tran van Tho (Waseda
University)
- Professor Kenichi Ohno (GRIPS)
Secretariat:
- Nguyen Quoc Hung (Tokyo University)
- Nguyen Duc Thanh (GRIPS)
- Pham Truong Hoang
(Yokohama National University)
- Vu Tuan Khai
( Yokohama National University)
Research assistant for publication and web management:
- Azko Hayashida (GRIPS)
In particular, the
secretariat will perform the following duties.
- Make records and administrative
documents
- Make schedule
- Contact members
- External contacts and networking
- Produce meeting minutes and summaries
- Homepage production and management
(with Azko Hayashida)
7.
Working language
The working language is
English. However, Vietnamese and Japanese may be additionally used as
necessary.
8.
Implementation plan
The first stage (six months to a year): Workshops will be
conducted monthly on relevant topics to mobilize ideas and opinions from
all participants. Newcomers are welcome to participate in the
discussions. The results of workshops, discussions, and other
information are disseminated through a web.
The second
stage: Research activities are to be expanded after the successful
completion of the first stage. Channels of discussion and dissemination
will be enhanced, including seminars (Tokyo, Hanoi or elsewhere), GRIPS
discussion papers/policy minutes, and other forms as appropriate.
The third
stage: Based on the evaluation of past activities, an economic
association with full legal status and more formal structure may be
established.
9.
Linkage with Vietnam
The web will be advertised to all people concerned, including those in
Vietnam. This web will be also in Vietnamese to provide more information
for concerning readers in Vietnam.
The JVEC will cooperate with Vietnam
Development Forum (Joint Research Project between GRIPS and NEU). However, people not associated with GRIPS
or NEU will not be excluded.
Further linkages
with research activities in Vietnam will be considered.
10.
Proposed topics
The Club accepts
academic topics concerning the Vietnamese economy in all fields proposed
by the members, for example:
- Macroeconomic issues:
fiscal and monetary policy, tax policy, saving and investment, exchange
rate management, sustainability of the balance of payments, banking
sector's weakness…
- Microeconomic issues: business administration, cost-benefit analyses,
competitiveness of domestic enterprises, state-owed enterprises, small
and medium enterprises, micro finance, project management and evaluation
capability…
- Industrial, trade and investment issues: industrial policy,
agriculture, FDI encouragement mechanisms, industrial zones,
technological transfer, trade competition, effects of WTO and AFTA,
developing a knowledge economy, industrialization and
modernization…
- Social issues: poverty reduction, income distribution, social
change…
Workshops may discuss
recently published papers on the Vietnamese economy by economists and
international organizations as well as works in progress by JVEC members.
12.
Other
The GRIPS Development
Forum (in Tokyo) will informally support the establishment of the JVEC.
The JVEC will also cooperate with the Vietnam Development Forum (in
Hanoi).
|
