In this seminar, Dr. Susan Adams - the former IMF economic expert in Vietnam (2001 - 2005) and the present educational expert in RMIT University, Vietnam and USAID - STAR program, presented a report on “An analysis of Vietnam’s current economic situation”. In this report, Dr. Susan Adams talked about the current world economic context and its impacts on Vietnam’s economy. Then in 2008 as well as in the next several years, Vietnam’s GDP growth rate tends to decrease (8.4% in 2007, 6.2 % in 2008, 5.5 % in 2009 and 6.2% in 2010 as estimated) due to the bad effects of the global economy downturn. At the same time, the budget deficit tends to increase (-6.9% in 2007; -5.1% in 2008; -7.3% in 2009 and -7.1% in 2010 as estimated). The report also mentioned and offered some assessment on the policies undertaken by the Vietnamese Government to cope with the current global economic downturn. Remarkably she has made analyses of the Government efforts in implementing the demand-stimulus pack. Thenceforth, Dr. Susan Adams suggested some measures to ensure the short-term targets as well as the long-term sustainability for Vietnam such as encouraging production and exports, continuing to step up investment and consumption, maintaining a highly flexible financial and monetary policy….

Apart from Dr. Susan’s report above, many intensive discussions and ideas were provided by both domestic and international economic experts in this seminar. It is estimated that University of Economics and Business - VNU is going to coordinate with Fulbright, STAR Vietnam to organize the seminars on economic, educational, and social security issues… in the next time.