Attending the meeting with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Nguyen Anh, there were MA. Van Thi Thanh Binh, Deputy Head of the International Cooperation Department; Mr. Hoang Xuan Sang, Manager of International Organizations of the International Cooperation Department.
To team up with Dr. Mary Byrne McDonnell, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the SSRC, Director of Vietnam Programme, there were members of SSRC including Ms. Seteny Shami, Director of Programme; Ms. Holly Danzeisen, Deputy Director of InterAsia Programme.
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In the meeting, SSRC introduced about InterAsian Connections VI. This international conference, the sixth in the series, will be organized and sponsored by the InterAsia partnership, of which the SSRC is a founding member. This international conference aimed to create international and interdisciplinary networks of scholars who are working to theorize the intersection of the global and the regional in a variety of contexts to continue working with each others in a variety of ways, including co-organizing research initiatives and conferences panels and acting as guest lectures at each other’s institutions. In addition, a number of workshop members have produced edited volumes and special journal issues that resulted from, or included works originally presented during InterAsian Connections conference.
SSRC emphasized that in order to build truly international and interdisciplinary scholar networks, the conference series is held in roving locations. Since 2008 conferences have been held in Dubai (2008), Singapore (2010), Hong Kong (2012), Istanbul (2013) and Seoul (2015), included over 500 scholars working across Asia. Therefore, SSRC expected to hold the upcoming conference, InterAsian Connections VI in Vietnam and would like to explore the possibility of collaborating with VASS in organizing this event. This is the main purpose of the visit and business trip of SSRC at VASS.
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In response to the proposal of SSRC, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Nguyen Anh expressed the agreement and appreciated the relationships and results during nearly 30 years cooperating between SSRC and VASS, from organizing visit trips to social scientific research organizations in the US to the connection and exchange of researchers and fellows between the two parties. Hence, collaborating with SSRC in organizing such big international event of social sciences in Vietnam is an opportunity in the context of integrating current scientific research, education and training, not only to VASS but also to Vietnam. The Vice President also affirmed that the InterAsian Connections VI is a chance for young generation of Vietnamese scholars to have a new “playground”, a great forum for connections and academic exchanges, which creates a premise for the release of research publications, scientific topics.
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Discussing the plan to organize the of InterAsian Connections VI in Vietnam, both sides agreed on date and administrative overview of the conference. In accordance, it will take place in 4 days (expected in the end of 2018). Open event will be held in Hanoi, the conference’s next three-days will be in Ninh Binh province, including 10 workshops and approximately 130 scholars.
As local host, resposibilites of VASS would include: 1) Organizing one thematic conference workshop and select two directores for this workshop; 2) Helping to advertise and disseminate all conference information locally, including to scholars within and outside of VASS; 3) Assisting with other technical and logistics supports for participants.
Both sides agreed on the discussed plan. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Nguyen Anh suggested that International Cooperation Department would be a focal point of VASS to contact with SSRC during the preparation of the conference.
The meeting successfully ended. Vice President of VASS gave souvenirs and took pictures with the delegation of SSRC.
Hong Nhung
