CIG and Vietnam’s VASS Sign MOU to Establish Long-Term Partnership
September 1, 2019
The Chandler Institute of Governance (CIG) met with the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) on 26 September 2019 for the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between both organisations. The MOU signing builds upon a previous meeting between both organisations on 14 August to discuss areas of collaboration.
VASS is a research and higher education institution under the Government of Vietnam. It is responsible for studying key social science issues in Vietnam, and providing input on related public policies.
VASS President Dr. Ngyuen Quang Thuan welcomed the signing of the MOU between VASS and CIG, adding that VASS saw “a lot of potential in our collaboration with the Chandler Institute of Governance”.
Executive Director of CIG Wu Wei Neng also expressed CIG’s strong support for the MOU. He explained that CIG was established to support governments in research, training and advisory work, and that CIG and VASS shared common goals. “VASS is a valuable partner, as both a key research and knowledge centre, and an important source of policy advice and input to the government”.
Partnership on Digital Transformation in Government
The Government of Vietnam is determined to harness new digital technologies to improve government performance and promote national development. Following the MOU signing, VASS and CIG have begun a research partnership in this area.
This initiative will include a joint conference, expert workshop, research study, research publication and policy brief. The policy recommendations arising from the partnership will inform the ongoing discussions on Vietnam’s Socio-Economic Development Plan.
VASS President Dr. Ngyuen Quang Thuan underscored the importance of the joint research partnership, emphasising that
"Digital transformation is not just about e-government. It is a transformation of the entire administrative system and ecosystem of the country. It is an important solution to help Vietnam radically change the quality of its development."
Dr. Ngyuen Quang Thuan
President of Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences
VASS Vice President Dr. Dang Xuan Thanh highlighted Vietnam’s existing progress and successes in digital transformation, such as the Infocomm Technology (ICT) Index to periodically assess the digital readiness of government institutions. He agreed that the digital transformation workshop would be important to bring government officials, policymakers and technical experts together.
