Attending the ceremony was H.E. Mr. Allaster Cox - Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Prof. Richard Seymour - Presidents of The Innovation & Entrepreneurship Research Group (IERG), University of Sydney; Mr. Nguyen Tuan Hai - Vice President of Hanoi Business Association, Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Thao - Vice President of Hai Duong Women’s Union; Mr. Pham Van Thuy - Director of 8/3 Career Training Center of The Hai Duong Women’s Union; Mr. Tran Quang Tien - Vice Director of Central Women’s School; together with representatives of many international organizations and enterprises that are  partners of UEB.

Also present at the ceremony from VNU University of Economics and Business, were Assoc.Prof.PhD. Nguyen Hong Son - Rector, Assoc.Prof.PhD. Nguyen Ngoc Thanh - Vice Rector, leaders of UEB offices and  project members and many UEB graduates. The ceremony attracted the attention of the press, media and news agencies.

Assoc.Prof.PhD. Nguyen Hong Son - UEB Rector delivers the opening speech.

In his opening speech, Assoc.Prof.PhD. Nguyen Hong Son emphasized the role, the importance and the large scale of the project. He expressed his gratitude to the Australian Government Overseas Aid (AusAID) and the University of Sydney for their valuable support and also expressed his gratitude to Hanoi Business Association, staff of the Central Women’s School (Vietnamese Women’s Union) and the Hai Duong Women’s Union for their enthusiastic participation in Vietnam. Assoc.Prof.PhD. Nguyen Hong Son stressed: “VNU University of Economics and Business commits to implement the project effectively, accurately and professionally”.

H.E. Mr. Allaster Cox - Australian Ambassador to Vietnam recognizes the active cooperation between the University of Sydney and the VNU University of Economics and Business.

Audiences at the ceremony.

After the speech by H.E. Mr. Allaster Cox and Prof. Richard Seymour, Dr. Phan Chi Anh - Director of Center for Business Administration Study, VNU UEB introduced the project –“Building Female Entrepreneurial Skills for SMEs in ASEAN Countries” to the audience.

Dr. Phan Chi Anh introduces  the project.

 The project Building Female Entrepreneurial Skills for SMEs in ASEAN Countries is implemented under the Asia Public Sector Linkage Program sponsored by AusAID. The project content includes the following: Conference planning and consultancy for the government and enterprises; Training faculty members of VNU University of Economics and Business at the University of Sydney; building the female entrepreneurs training program; Organizing the training of trainers for the program; Studying the role of female entrepreneurs, innovations and business start-up; Implementing activities associated with the VNU UEB and Women’s Union and enterprises; Assessing the implementation and expanding the project. The project started in July 2011 and is expected to end in June 2013 in Vietnam and Cambodia.

Directly implemented by the VNU University of Economics and Business, the project aims to equip Vietnamese and Cambodian women who are starting up their SME with entrepreneurial knowledge and skills, thereby increasing job opportunities and better incomes for women, contributing to reducing inequalities and contributing to economic growth in these countries. One of the objectives of the project is to strengthen the training capacity of the University of Battambang and the University of Economics and Business in the field of business administration and business start-up, and at the same time developing the research priority of the two universities in order to promote training and research. This helps connect training and practice and sets up networks between businesses, governments and institutes.

The project is training at least 100 training specialists in business start-up skills for women. These specialists will train women who desire to start a business, instruct management and operating skills for small and medium enterprises or household business, and expand employment opportunities and better incomes for women, helping women in the running of businesses.

Participants in the project are female entrepreneurs and staff of the Women’s Union of Hai Duong Province and the Central Women’s School.  Participating in the project, learners will be equipped with the basic knowledge to study business opportunities, action planning, business management, marketing and sales management, finance and accounting management, bank loan plans, etc.

The Trainers in the program are the faculty members of the VNU University of Economics and Business, who have practical training experience and were trained at the University of Sydney (Australia) with advanced teaching methods, focusing on analysis skills of business case studies.

Starting from March 2012 to October 2012, the UEB will be implementing no-cost training with four intakes of students. The four intakes are planned to officially open in March 2012 (Intake 1), May 2012 (Intake 2), September 2012 (Intake 3) and October 2012 (intake 4).

At the project launching ceremony, the UEB leader signed a MOU with representatives of the University of Sydney, the Hanoi Business Association, the Central Women’s School (Vietnamese Women’s Union) and the 8/3 Career Training Center (Hai Duong Women’s Union) as well as reaching an agreement for the organization under the project of “Training Entrepreneurial Skills for Vietnamese Women”.

Also at the ceremony, UEB leaders and the project team answered many questions put by the audience of representatives from enterprises and the press, relating to: criteria for project assessment, differences of the project compared to others, participation conditions…

The involvement of the University of Economics and Business in the project is of great significance for the development of the university. This is a valuable opportunity for its staff and faculty members to meet and exchange with colleagues in the international research network to improve the quality of training and scientific research, actively contributing to eco-social development of Vietnam.

The MOU signing ceremony between leaders of VNU University of Economics & Business and Hanoi Business Association.

The MOU signing ceremony between leaders of VNU University of Economics & Business and 8/3 Career Training Center (Hai Duong Women’s Union.

The MOU signing ceremony between leaders of VNU University of Economics & Business and Central Women’s School.

Participants at the ceremony.