THE SECOND VDF-TOKYO CONFERENCE
ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF VIETNAM

GRIPS Campus, Saturday, 15 July 2006

CONFERENCE SUMMARY

by Giang Thanh Long, Pham Truong Hoang, Vu Tuan Khai and Nguyen Duc Thanh

As the annual activity to promote research and human networks for Vietnam, the Second VDF Tokyo Conference on the Development of Vietnam was held at the campus of National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo on Saturday, 15 July 2006. We welcomed about 60 participants from all over Japan, including professors, researchers, and Vietnamese people who are studying and working in Japan.

The Conference was begun by a welcoming speech from Mr. Giang Thanh Long (GRIPS & VDF Tokyo) with a brief introduction about the Conference schedule. Then Mr. Pham Truong Hoang (Yokohama National University & VDF Tokyo) made a review of VDF Tokyo’s activities since its establishment. It was shown that VDF Tokyo had been actively cooperating with VDF Hanoi and many institutions in Vietnam, Japan, and other countries in implementing a variety of research activities, and expanding human networking over the years.

After that, in the main part of the Morning Session, we welcomed two prominent keynote speakers: Prof. Kenichi  Ohno (GRIPS Professor, and VDF Director), and Prof. David O. Dapice (Professor at Tuft University, and a Fellow of Vietnam Program in Harvard University). In his presentation, Prof. Ohno mentioned current status of industrial development in Vietnam, and proposed some policy directions for Vietnam to become a reliable partner of Japan in integral manufacturing. In his turn, Prof. Dapice talked about Doi moi in Vietnam, in which achievements and challenges in the future were analyzed thoroughly.

After  those two keynote speeches, we had 45-minute Q & A Session for the participants to exchange views with both Professors. 

In the Afternoon Session, we held two parallel sessions, i.e. Economics and Business, and Social Issues. The former was chaired by Prof. Kenichi Ohno, while the latter was chaired by Prof. Izumi Ohno.

In the Economics and Business Session, we welcomed three presenters. The first presenter was Mr. Le Anh Minh, a PhD student of Graduate School of International Development, Nagoya University, Japan. He presented a macroeconometric model to evaluate macroeconomic policy in Vietnam. The second presenter was Mr. Vu Thanh Tu Anh (PhD), the Director of Research of Fulbright Economics Teaching Program (FETP) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He presented a model to evaluate the relationship between competition and privatization, and then analyzed the case of Vietnam. The last presentation was by Mr. Phan Chi Anh, a PhD candidate of International School of Social Sciences, Yokohama National University (YNU). He presented his co-authored paper with Prof. Yoshiki Matsui (YNU) on the impacts of ISO9000 on quality management and competitive performance of manufacturing companies in Vietnam.

At the same time, in the Social Issues Section, we also had three presenters. Associate Prof. Wade Pfau (GRIPS) was the first presenter. He presented his co-authored research with Mr. Giang Thanh Long (GRIPS & VDF Tokyo) on living arrangements of the elderly during economic transition in Vietnam. The second presenter was Mr. Tadashi Kikuchi (PhD), a lecturer of Keio University, Japan. His presentation was about performance evaluation of ODA projects, and Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi was used as the case study. Ms. Aiko Takai, a newly-graduated student of University of Amsterdam, was the last presenter of the Section. Her presentation focused on the stories behind the children working on the streets in Hanoi.

After all presentations, we gathered again to have a special session, in which all participants introduced themselves and their research interests. Many of them said that they highly appreciated the Conference, and they would like to participate in other activities of VDF in both Tokyo and Hanoi. On behalf of VDF Tokyo and the Conference Organizing Committee, Prof. Kenichi Ohno thanked all the participants, and he welcomed them to VDF in Tokyo and Hanoi for research and human networking. 

Full summary (Print friendly version)