After listening to a report on research activities for the academic year 2008 - 2009 and on research orientation for 2009 - 2012 by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hong Son - Vice Rector, members of the Council expressed appreciation for the recent efforts of the UEB. Members of the Council discussed with excitement the issues relating to research development opinions: whether there should be a focus on basic research or applied research, how theoretical research can be applied practically, how to combine the internal and external human resources effectively, and closely connecting the new and disciplinary research orientations with the UEB. The Council concluded that the research of the UEB needs to be basic and disciplinary and be based on the advantages of the UEB at Vietnam National University, Hanoi. On the other hand, the UEB should closely connect the research and training with real applications, and enhance the applicability of research in serving, analyzing, commenting and consulting for the Government and enterpApart from discussing, consulting and contributing to the general research orientations of the UEB, members of the Council focused on giving ideas to 3 key research programs. The Council agreed to support the principles of gathering the human resources for 3 key research programs. However, the implementation should follow the route and the orientations should be classified into specific projects. In addition, Faculties and other units of the UEB should be encouraged to develop their own projects to improve the training quality. The UEB will prioritize the microeconomic research program to produce the annual Vietnam Economic Report of the UEB the next academic year.

After listening to the ideas and comments of the Training and Scientific Research Council, Prof. Dr. Sc Vu Minh Giang emphasized: the Vietnam National Univeristy, Hanoi highly appreciates the development potential, and actively supports, the research activities of the UEB. Prof. Dr. Sc Vu Minh Giang directed: the management of the scientific and technological activities should be renovated following to the orientation of output quality but not the process, the management should focus on the special and confidence of the working papers but not the quantity; The UEB also should develop and enhance the effectiveness of research groups, expand the net of cooperation and develop relationships with foreign and domestic partners in research activities. Prof. Dr. Sc. Vu Minh Giang suggested: The UEB should not only focus on basic research but also on foreseeable research on the socio-economic situation of Vietnam, especially research connecting closely to 5-year plans of the Government, National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and national key research programs... Prof.Dr.Sc. Vu Minh Giang required the UEB and other units at the VNU to intensify the research activities of students; and the working papers of scientists and lecturers will be more scientifically and practically valuable in order to attract students and postgraduates. He emphasized the systematic factor, concentration and usefulness of research goals. There are 3 key research programs: i) Research about microeconomic theory and policies relevant to Vietnam; ii) Research about economic value estimation and the impact of climate change and natural calamities on Vietnam’s economy; iii) Research about sustainable development in Vietnam. The UEB will have strategic output to submit to the VNU anually and periodically.

On behalf of the Training and Scientific Research Council, Assoc.Prof.Dr Phung Xuan Nha - Chairman of the Council expressed his gratitude to the Board of Presidents of the VNU and emphasized: The UEB will have specific work and adequate investment (mechanism, finance, human resource...) to implement projects in its research orientation, especially the 3 selected key research programs. Also, the Chairman requested that the representatives of research groups implementing the 3 key research programs concretize those programs into specific and feasible projects.

At the second meeting, the Training and Scientific Research Council for the 2007-2012 term agreed to establish the Training and Scientific Research Council at the Faculty level to promote the self-control of units in research and training activities, and to classify the management of organization, research and training activities of the UEB.

The second meeting of the Training and Scientific Research Council ended successfully. The policies and research orientation consulted by the Council will definitely promote and develop the research activities of the UEB.