MDE News

The MDE hosts a visit from Sail

 

In October the MDE welcomed a visit by Tjay-Koen Yap, programme officer of Sail, the executing agency that manages the resources that fund the MDE.  Mr Yap met with Project staff, toured the Project offices, sat in on lectures, and met with the Rector of UOE.

Fee levels agreed

In December agreement was reached between the ISS, UOE and NEU regarding cost recovery fee levels.  Fees for Class 8 (2001-203) for the 2 year MDE will be US$4200 for self-financing students.  Fees for Class 8 (2001-2003) for the 2 year MDE will be US$5200 for sponsored students.  The difference in the fee levels is designed to support the Project Development Fund, which will pay for new information and information technology facilities, fund curriculum development and new teaching activities, and be used to maintain the high standards of the MDE.  The Project office has set a target of 10 self-financing and/or sponsored students to enter the MDE in Class 8, in a bid to deepen the sustainability of the benefits of the Project.

Progress Report submitted

In January the biannual Progress Report will be submitted to Sail via the ISS.  The Progress Report offers a detailed snapshot of Project activities over the preceding 6 months.  Copies of the Progress Report are available from the project office.

Australian Youth Ambassador for Development joins the MDE

In January Michael Palmer joins the MDE as a volunteer economist.  Michael will be responsible for taking economics tutorials and for developing a series of case studies to be used in future teaching.  Welcome, Michael! 

The MDE in the Viet Nam News

Click here to read recent press clippings on the MDE.

Coming in 2001:  The MDE Development Issues Seminar

The MDE is currently planning to launch a Development Issues Seminar commencing in February 2001.  Drawing upon respected figures from the academic community, the donor community and the private sector, the Development Issues Seminar will focus on major policy problems facing Vietnam's transition to a market economy.  The Development Issues Seminar will be open to staff, students and the general public.  All seminars will be in English, and will include time for discussion.

The following speakers have agreed to take part in the Development Issues Seminar:

	Nguyen Thi Song An (University of Economics) on poverty in the Mekong Delta
	Peter Bull (PriceWaterHouseCoopers) on issues in human resource management/development in Vietnam
	Peter Calkins (Laval University) on Vietnam's economic development
	Nguyen Huu Dung (University of Economics) on the environmental impact of agricultural reform in southern Vietnam
	Tim Finlayson (PriceWaterhouseCoopers) on issues in tax reform in Vietnam
	Bernard Kervyn (VietnamPlus) on rural microfinance in southern Vietnam
	Nguyen Van Ngai (University of Agriculture) on modelling the Vietnamese economy
	Scott Poynton (Scancom) on sustainable forestry management in Vietnam
	Joesph Tham (Fulbright Programme) on risk analysis in Vietnam
	Jamie Uhrig (UNDP consultant) on the socioeconomic impact of HIV/AIDS in Vietnam
	Francis Uy (Canadian Trade Commissioner) on challenges to trading and investing in Vietnam
	Haroon Akram-Lodhi (Institute of Social Studies) on agrarian transition in Vietnam

The timetable of the Development Issues Seminar will be placed on this site in the near future.  In the meantime, anyone interested in offering a seminar should contact the Project office.

Coming in 2001:  The Graduation Ceremony of Class 4

The paperwork has been completed, and it now seems that Class 4 will be able to graduate in 2001.  The graduation ceremony, when it is held, will be open to students, their families, staff, and the general public.  Further details will be placed on this site when they become available.                                                    

Visiting Fellows Scheme

The MDE has instituted a scheme to assist Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese academics engaged in applied policy research on Vietnam.  Click here to find out more details of the MDE's Visiting Fellows Scheme.