Attending the workshop were representatives of four research teams from Vietnam, China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and senior consultants from The Asian Development Bank (ADB) including representatives from the regional banks. Four research teams at the workshop were selected to stand a chance of being financially supported to conduct from 26 research projects submitted by research institutes and universities/colleges in the area.

 The workshop ebulliently took place with the presentation and comment contributions from the ADB’s senior experts, international researchers and others from the region. Presentations, answers and questions were raised by consulting experts about the research project draft presented by the UEB - VNU (Cooperated with the Institutions Department of Central Institutefor Economic Management, Vietnam; Yunnan Cooperation and Research Department of Lancang Area Research and Cooperation Institute - Mekong Subregion, China; Royal Universityof Lawand Economicsof Cambodia). The project title was “Facilitating border trade by means of improving finance service in border areas surrounding Vietnam and some policy recommendations for Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS)”, which was highly acclaimed by consultants, representatives of the ADB and colleagues, not only in terms of the newness of the research, its practical and meaningful policy, but also the methods utilized in research work. This high-mark evaluation is the essence on which the ADB will base to determine the project funding.

Once the research team of the UEB - VNU obtains the ADB grant it will start a research cooperation opportunity between the UEB and prestigious research organizations in the area. It will also establish an appropriate research direction which the UEB - VNU is going to follow (i.e. developing an effective research team and international research network) in order to build the UEB as a research college of international quality.