Institute for European Studies (IES) is a basic research agency, legal organization, and a unit member of Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences. IES has the function of researching basic issues of social sciences for countries and organizations in Europe to provide scientific arguments for the Party and State in planning pathways, domestic and foreign policies; consulting and training postgraduate in social sciences related to Europe.
1. The basic contributions of Institute are divided into some major periods such as:
a) From 1993 to 2004
- Projects at State level:
IES contributed on analyzing causes and effects of the collapse of socialist system and socio-economist in reality of the Soviet Union and other Eastern European countries in the late 80s and early 90s. The projects focused on analyzing, evaluating the actual situation and forecasting the growing potential of European Union and Russia in the early of 21st century.
- Projects at Ministry level:
In the first ten years of establishment, researchers of IES completed many projects at Ministry level such as: Russia towards Asia-Pacific after the Cold War; Privatization in the progress of reforming Russia and other Eastern European countries economy; Foreign economic policies of Russia in the transformation of economy nowadays; Relation of Vietnam – Russia: history, reality, and prospects…
Thank to these projects, researchers of Institute clarified some urgent issues, for example: The EU-Asian role of superpower Russia in Asia-Pacific; Privatization in the progress of reforming Russia and other Eastern European countries economy. To suggest for Vietnam the importance experience at the beginning of equitation to reform the State-owned sector; to affirm the important role of ASEAN in ASEM region (10 Asian and 15 European countries); to clarify the foreign economic policies of Russia in the transformation and fashion of coming back to traditional Russia’s partners in the South East Asia; to conclude in the commercial relationship between Russia and Vietnam as a critical nation in the region…
Based on that to generalize the developing trend of the world and regions under the circumstances of increasing economic globalization and regionalization. By studying transformation of economy in Russia, SNG and other Eastern European countries, the Institute is able to make actual contribution on theoretical and practical matters for the transition to market economy and international and regional integration of Vietnam as well as promoting cooperation with traditional partners in the period of increasing multilateralication and diversification in foreign relations and open integration for Vietnam.
- Projects at Academy level:
The Institute has successfully implemented and completed many big projects, some of them are: Foreign policies of Russia towards Asia – Pacific after the Cold War, Some matters of international business relation in Eastern European countries under the circumstances of recent reforming to market economy; Economic and Commercial Relation of Vietnam – Russia, The solutions for boosting the traditional relation Vietnam – Russia; Reformation of market economy in Poland – the EU integrating trend.
b) 2005 – now:
- Projects at State level, Protocols, and project funded by Nafosted
Since 2003, especially from 2005 to now is a developing and expanding period for the scientific activities of IES in finding and implementing projects at State level, protocol mission, and projects funded by Nafosted.
IES is now carrying out three projects at State level, they are Project KX 01.04/06-10 Commercial relation of Vietnam – EU; Project KX 02.13/06-10 The developing model of society and social developing management in developed European countries – the experience and meanings to Vietnam and Project KX 01.09/11-15 The public debt crisis in EU and the lesson for Vietnam.
For the international cooperation mission in sciences and technology based on Protocol program, IES is now carrying out 4 duties including: Project on Protocol Vietnam – Russia The Russia – ASEAN relation in the early years of 21st century; Project on Protocol Vietnam – Poland Vietnamese intelligentsia in Eastern European countries: Reality and roles under new circumstances; Project on Protocol Vietnam – Ukraine Vietnam – Ukraine under the new international circumstances; Project on Protocol Vietnam – Hungary Implications of globalization to transiting economy in Eastern European countries and Vietnam in the early of 21st century.
Since 2003, IES is now carrying out three projects funded by Nafosted, they are Promoting the cooperation of Vietnam –EU in implementing Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in Vietnam from 2010 to 2020 funded by Flander (Belgium). Other two projects on Social security system of European countries after the global financial crisis and the experience lesson for Vietnam and Studying comparative model of regional linkage – the experience for ASEAN.
By implementing these projects above, IES analyzed and clarified the global situation and factors influenced to Russia – ASEAN relation in the period of 2006 – 2010 and outlook to 2020; to evaluate the reality of Russia – ASEAN relation from 1991 to 2005 and based on that to suggest the orientation and solutions for developing Russia – ASEAN relation towards 2020 and improving the role of Vietnam in Russia – ASEAN relation.
To analyze and clarify the reality of Vietnamese intelligentsia in Eastern European countries and to suggest solutions to promote their roles. Thereby, to promote the role of being a cultural, sport, and technological bridge; to promote contributions for the industrialization and modernization of the country.
To analyze and clarify the international and regional circumstances and factors influenced Vietnam-Ukraine relation. Meanwhile, to analyze and evaluate the reality of Vietnam – Ukraine relation comprehensively since the Cold War in order to recommend the orientation and solutions for developing the comprehensive cooperation of Vietnam – Ukraine in the period of 2011 – 2020.
To analyze and evaluate the reality of economic growth relation of Vietnam – EU since 1995, to clarify the theoretical reasons and to form scientific arguments – practice for planning the strategy of developing economic cooperation of Vietnam – EU towards 2015 as well as to recommend the suggestion on strategy and solutions for developing economic cooperation of Vietnam – EU towards 2015.
+ Comprehensive researching on the developing model of society and general management of developing society in EU; To analyze the nature, characteristics, forming conditions, achievements, and recommended issues on the developing model of typical society in European countries. To summarize the lessons in developing model of European society, typical models, and lessons of management of social development in European countries and suggested experiences for Vietnam to study.
- Projects at Ministry level:
From 2005 to 2008, IES has carried out many projects at ministry level. They are: The developing model of Nordic countries: matters of the popularity and typical of nation; The cooperative policy of EU: opportunities and challenges for Vietnam; Free trade and investment in international commercial relationship of EU; Spain – 20 years after joining EU – succeed and lessons;…
From 2009 to 2012, the Institute has launched two research programs at ministry level, each included one general topic and many sub-topics.
The first program is Outstanding economic, political matters of EU from 2001 – 2010, forecasts for 2011 – 2020 and implications to Vietnam completed in 2010. Many projects of the program are reviewed and evaluated at fairly good and excellent result.
The second program is Adjustments in developing policy of key countries after the financial crisis and global economic downturn and implications to Vietnam implemented in 2011 and 2012. This program has been completed and evaluated officially by Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences in the early of 2013. By carrying out these programs, the Institute identified some basic and urgent matters such as:
Analyzing and identifying the requirement for changing and major adjustments in trading policy of EU; Analyzing, identifying the reality, and role of Vietnamese community in Russia and Eastern Europe countries; analyzing the policies of Russia and Eastern Europe countries towards foreigners including Vietnamese people working and living in those countries; Analyzing and identifying the characteristics of European culture through historical periods, the movement of thought and spirit; and capturing the European cultural regions and clarifying the basic characteristics and roles of European culture; Analyzing and identifying the formation and development of model of the Nordic welfare state; clarifying the popularity and typical of model, the succeeds, limitations, reforming trends, and adjustments in model to find out the lessons for Vietnam…
- Projects at Academy level
The projects at Academy level completed during 2005 – 2008 towards the matters in Europe and others related to relations between Vietnam and European countries such as policies of commerce, security, foreign affairs, environment, and business support…; The experience of EU and other countries in dealing with social, political matters such as to build up legislative government, market – economy model, division of power in EU, coping with social problems and completing social security system, religious and ethnic issues of regions…; Developing matters, policies and reforms in Russia, Central and Eastern European countries, especially those are candidates to join EU…
In the period of 2013-2014, the projects focused on matters such as: The formation and development of Treaties, EU agreements; theoretical and practical arguments in EU policies and other countries in regions; theoretical and practical arguments in EU in terms of theories; economic, political, social, and international integration studies…
By doing these projects, the position and reputation of IES are increasing significantly. IES is known by many funding organizations in EU as well as research institutions in EU countries and becoming a trustworthy and highly appreciated research institution. Moreover, the Institute has signed and implemented many scientific research contracts with foreign and domestic scientific research organizations and agencies based on Vietnam Law and Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences’ regulations. This created a network of cooperative research in and outside the country.
2. To combine research with training in the field of Europe studies
To combine research with training in the field of Europe studies, to do the training at postgraduate level and to develop the high quality workforces is an important function and mission of IES. Researchers of the Institute participated in training at domestic organizations such as: National political Academy; Vietnam National University, Hanoi (University of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Economics, Department of History, Department of International Studies, Department of Law,…), Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi Law University, University of Hue, Foreign Trade University, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, Graduate Academy of Social Sciences, University of Thai Nguyen, University of Vinh, Hanoi National University of Education…
The result of Institute’s researches are used in teaching for students, post graduate students, and doctoral students. After the permission of Ministry of Education and Training for the pilot teaching of European Studies (12/2012) as the subject directly helped Graduate Academy of Social Sciences in terms of professional works, the Institute used the evaluated projects to compose the teaching contents, textbooks, and learning materials for post graduate students.
3. The outcomes of international cooperation in sciences
The international cooperative programs implemented by the Institute are having certain contributions in:
+ Improving knowledge and understandings of Vietnam to EU; promoting the research of Europe in Vietnam; training Vietnamese professionals to improve the level of teaching and researching on EU; creating the informative network in Vietnam, ASEAN and Europe; disseminating the general knowledge of EU in Vietnam.
+ Building the upward approach in researching of rural areas and farmers, to support the work of eliminating poverty and sustainable development. Strengthening the ability of Vietnamese Union in understanding, identifying, and organizing needs as well as benefits of the most vulnerable sections of the new industrial workforce.
+ Realizing the difficulties and challenges with social security system, especially under the circumstances of globalization and population change and based on that to suggest adjustments to build up a better and more comprehensive social security policies.
Thank to these projects, IES established a network of relations with significant universities and research institutions in Europe such as University of Naple L'Orientale (UNIOR) (Italy), University of Roskilde (Denmark), University of Metropolitan (Denmark), University of Bocconi (Italy), Italian General Confederation of Labor (CGIL), Institute for Future Studies Institute (Sweden), University of Stockhol (Sweden), University of Oslo (Norway), University of Coimbra (Portugal), University of Chulalongkorn (Thailand)…
In addition, IES sent many groups of scientific researchers to explore, research, and exchange sciences in many countries all over the world such as the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries, European countries like Russia, France, Belgium, Italy, Poland, Ukraine, and Mongolia… Besides that, the Institute welcomed and exchanged sciences with many groups and organizations from many parts of the world annually. Researchers of IES over time also participated and contributed in many conferences, international scientific conferences held in and outside the country.
4. The outcomes of collecting materials, library, publishing, and disseminating of researches’ results and scientific knowledge
a) Data management and library
Library of IES has a wide range of information on economics, politics, society, laws, international relations, and environment… With more than 6500 books including 3127 Vietnamese books and 3495 English books (more than a half of library). Besides that, the Library is currently storing more than 7500 documents, newspapers, Vietnamese journals; 4000 foreign language documents, newspapers, and foreign journals; approximately 140 Vietnamese and foreign magazines among them there are 97 domestic magazines and 37 foreign magazines. Besides exchanging the documents with other libraries of VASS, in 2009 the Library of IES joined the book sponsorship program of Asia Foundation for Vietnamese libraries with the sponsorship is about 41.890 USD.
About the electronic documents, the Library is now building up a databased of nearly 17.000 records which is updated regularly to help readers effectively using the information resources of the Institute. In addition, it also storage about 200 CDROMs and two book databases, quotations from journals with more than 130.000 records of Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences.
b) Publications
Since 1993, the Institute scientists has published 39 books and released many proceedings of scientific conferences; The scientific research work, books and publications by groups and individuals of IES have valuable scientific and practical values, to contribute to the forming of scientific fundamentals to plan the domestic and foreign policy of the Party and State; to serve the researching, teaching, training undergraduate and postgraduate.
c) Informing the research results and disseminating of scientific knowledge
Journal of Europe Studies is established in 1995 and published every month. Annually, beside 12 editions in Vietnamese, IES published one edition in English. The journal provides scientific arguments for planning pathways and policies of the Party and State, the dissemination of scientific knowledge and social responsibilities for Vietnamese; Creating the general forum for scientists and practical discussion on theoretical and actual issues, to promote the European Studies; To inform and introduce the scientific achievements of Vietnam to the world as well as the achievements of global sciences to Vietnam.
With these achievements, IES step – by – step affirmed its role, position, importance among member units of Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences.
