The predecessor of Institute of World Economics and Politics was the world economics committee of State Committee of Social Sciences (established in December 1980). In 2004, Government issued the Decree no.26/2004/NĐ-CP on the functionality, responsibilities and obligations, and new organizational structure of Institute of Vietnam Social Sciences (now as Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences). After that Institute of World Economics changed its name to Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP). This decree was also the foundation for Director of VASS to issue Decision no. 991/QĐ-KHXH on functionality, responsibilities and obligations, and new organizational structure of Institute of World Economics and Politics. The Institute’s basic function is to study world economic and political issues; to provide scientific evidence for making plans, strategies and fast and sustainable growth policies which are socialist oriented; to offer the advisory for post – graduation and develop human resources as well as to study economy and foreign relations of Vietnam.
Institute currently has 9 research departments, 4 research supporting departments for Institute’s management. Total number of staff is 60 people in which 5 of them are associate professor and doctor, 6 are doctors and 21 of them are master.
Significant achievements of scientific research works
Institute of World Economics and Politics has done thousands of research works at all levels (State and Ministry) and international projects in the past 30 years. Institute has organized hundreds of national and international workshops which have got the attention of public and local as well as international policy makers. The quality of research works is also improved by providing more scientific evidence for making developing plans for the country through the workshops.
The progress of Institute’s scientific research is divided into two main periods:
Pre – Reformation
Firstly, the research experiences from economic reformation in socialist countries were used for the management and development of Vietnam economy. Research topics of Institute focused on reviewing the changing progress of socialist’s economies; pointing out the limits of growth in width and developing trend in depth based on applying new technology in manufacturing. The limitations of the centralized economic model were analyzed in many previous research works and were pointed out the trending of applying the relationship of goods and monetary in the socialist economy. In this period, researches on reformation in Soviet and socialist countries in Eastern and Middle Europe played a particular position in Institute’s research works.
Secondly, it is the researches and explanation for changes in the capitalist economy, especially focusing on significant economic achievements of Japan after the 2nd World War; to study and publish economic growth experiences of countries in the developed and developing group, particularly the reformation progress of governmentally economic sector and the external economic policies of these countries. Many researcher works of Institute have been translated and edited in many languages, and are the source of correct and useful information about the economic growth progress in the world. It can also be the foundation for objective evaluation of the operating trend.
Thirdly, it is to clarify the theories of the transition period which directly impacted on Vietnam’s developing pathway as well as modern economics theories; to study and research then publish new and advance knowledge in Vietnam.
After reformation period
The major research achievements of Institute in this period were described as following:
Firstly, Institute did research more on the reformation progress in socialist countries in the period of 1986 – 1990. They focus on explaining conflicts of centralize economy and analyzed the international connection between these countries. They were interested in Asian developing countries, especially those who had the exporting oriented industrialization model, and the reformation progress of governmental economy sector. Research works also analyzed the changes of thought and economic policies in the world then pointed out how to change or reform so that these countries would have the development in depth.
In the early 1990s, Institute focused on researches on peace and collaboration (after cold war between countries); and moving the research trend to material and technical foundation based on the advanced technology; the globalization of economy, market economy and formation of globally political system. Research works have analyzed and evaluated the reasons why socialist closed down and how capitalism can adapt and adjust. They were also about the developing countries in modern world and global issues such as increasing population, poverty, development gap or environment…
Secondly, Institute should focus on issues of modern capitalism under the viewpoint of economic politics. Capitalism should be analyzed as a socio – economic model with many changes in the globalization and the revolution of technology, then pointed out the conflicts which are linked with these new trending. They should also analyze all models of capitalism, particularly the collaborative and competitive relationship between key centers of capitalism.
Thirdly, it is researches on the economic changing progress of centralized economies which have become one of the main researching directions and effectively contributed to the economic transition in Vietnam. These research works also showed the characteristics, privatization and equalization models of countries.
Fourthly, Institute’s research works have paid a particular attention to international commerce and investment issues. The global and regional trade liberalization in the framework of WTO, particularly in the Free Trade Agreement of AFTA, are also studied under various levels. They analyzed the theoretical base of trade liberalization trending, rules of the multilateral commercial system as well as the regional liberalization. Impacts of these progresses on the global and regional economy are also taken into account together with the experiences learnt from this progress. The advantages and disadvantage of the international investment activities from the receiving country and the ownership of the fund; influences on the formation of the global manufacturing network through major linkages which are cross –national organizations…
Fifthly, Institute studies on fundamental issues of the international monetary system as a new coming field when Vietnam started to open and changing to the market economy. Such topics as regulations of exchange rates, foreign exchange market, and restructuration of international financial system have been discussed and analyzed so that they could contribute to the findings of new directions of global economy.
Sixth, Institute has expanded its research scope since the end of 1990s. They were good at studying on international and regional issues related to economy and politics such as: ASEAN Community; East Asian Economic Community, Greater Mekong Sub region (GMS); non – traditional issues on security as terrorism and anti – terrorism, development gap, security of energy, food, and environment…; organization restructuration and economic institutions and international politics; “Two lobbies, one belt between Vietnam and China"... The purpose is to provide policy – makers and public the correct evaluation and highly valuable information. Many research works do not only analyze events but also study the reason of these recent changes then consider policy solutions.
Seventhly, Institute has done researches on the developing model and experiences of other countries. Research works have analyzed issues which are useful references, for example, the experiences of industrialization, economic reformation, opening and integration with international economies. They are also experiences in attracting foreign direct investment and financial aids, in the progress of reformation and economic structure improvement, developing foreign trade activities and opening economic areas, in the collaboration of improving economy and social equality, in developing human resources so on.
Most of research works, which were learnt from foreign experiences, were for handling urgent topics in Vietnam, therefore they became valuable for references. They have analyzed the theoretical and practical foundation of State’s role in the economy then pointed out the decreasing trend of interfering in the economic development of State, and confirming the characteristics as well as diversification of models which State is supporting. This should contribute to the awareness and renewal of market economy in Vietnam.
Since 1980, many research works of Institute have become the empirical evidences for building the economic reformation pathway which focused on the market factors, open and integration with the regional and global economies.
Many studies have contrition in solving urgent economic issues of Vietnam in the period of anti - inflation (1987 - 1989), free trade, monetary and financial policies and policies of how to work with super powers? Research topics on reformation progress, industrial policies, impacts of commerce and investment on economic growth have brought back good results when they pointed out their influences on major economies of Vietnam. They also had recommendation for improving the growth of industries which have the comparative advantages in the integration.
Especially, Institute’s World Economics and Politics Annual Report is published every year. The report has analyzed the basic changes of economy and politics which directly impacts on Vietnam and estimate the situation of the following year. The report has become one of the documents which have reputation for both local and foreign policy makers as a good reference source.
In recent period, research activities of Institute basically focus on adding and developing the 1991 Platform, as well as editing the Politics Report and the Strategy of Social and Economic Development for the 11th CPV. The research topics are started to be rearrange so that they become a research program which can show the hot and urgent issues, the fundamental directions of world economics and politics until 2020 as well as its major impacts on Vietnam.
In general, research works are highly systematic, completed and practical. They have the combination between the theoretical and practical researches, and closely link with issues in Vietnam’s case study. Most of these research works were delivered to high level leaders of Communist Party and State, as well as public through magazines, reports, Vietnamese books, and even books in foreign language.
Institute of World Economics and Politics have been growing up and effectively contributed to the national sciences and the growth of country for 30 years. On the occasion of 15th year of establishment (9/1998), Vietnam’s President has issued the 2nd class order for the Institute.
