How does the SAHEP-VNUA project bring change to Vietnam National University of Agriculture?

Today, October 12, Vietnam National University of Agriculture held the opening ceremony of the new school year 2024 - 2025 and inaugurated the "Project to enhance training capacity, science and technology" from ODA capital of the World Bank.

Talking to Dan Viet about the significance of the project for the development orientation of Vietnam National University of Agriculture into a multidisciplinary, multi-field university in the future, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan, Director of Vietnam National University of Agriculture, said that the Project on Strengthening Science and Technology Capacity and Training Human Resources for Agricultural Restructuring and New Rural Development (SAHEP-VNUA) was implemented in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, with many times requiring social distancing, so all parties had to make great efforts to keep up with the schedule. This is also the first project to pilot an investment model assigned to autonomous universities as investors.

General Secretary, President To Lam, Head of the Central Economic Commission Tran Luu Quang; Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha; Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung; Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan; Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son; WB representative and leaders of Vietnam National University of Agriculture pressed the button to inaugurate the SAHEP-VNUA project.

"Fortunately, during the project implementation, the Academy received enthusiastic and responsible support and assistance from ministries and branches, especially the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance. The leaders of the Ministry of Planning and Investment were very responsible, gave close, flexible and impartial direction, and held many meetings with the WB to clear up and promptly resolve problems so that the project could be implemented on time," said Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan.

According to the report of the Vietnam Academy of Agriculture, the project to enhance science and technology capacity and train human resources for agricultural restructuring and new rural development (SAHEP-VNUA) under the project to improve the quality of higher education (SAHEP) was implemented from 2017 to June 2023, with a total capital of 58.7 million USD (WB loan project).

The Project's objective is to improve the quality of training, scientific research and university administration to meet the requirements of the domestic and regional markets, while effectively serving the industrialization and modernization of agriculture, and restructuring the agricultural sector associated with new rural construction with 3 main components: Research development; Training development; University administration.

Thanks to the support of the Project, Vietnam Academy of Agriculture has implemented 11 scientific research topics in the fields of animal husbandry, veterinary medicine, aquaculture, food technology, environment/climate change, agronomy, biotechnology, land management. Organized domestic and international seminars on issues of interest: Crops and medicinal herbs, biotechnology, veterinary medicine, agricultural product value chains, smart agricultural models adapting to climate change.

Constructing 6 laboratories that meet ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards and have been granted certificates; constructing the Agricultural Research and Life Science Center with a total construction area of ​​over 7,700m2, equipped with nearly 800 additional equipment for 20 specialized laboratory clusters.

9 new buildings serving training and practice have been built to provide additional and new equipment for practice and internship for students of 10 faculties, update and build more than 100 new practice exercises to increase practice time, reduce theory hours to help improve students' practical skills.

The enhancement of capacity, facilities, and successful accreditation of training programs have helped to welcome many students from regional and international universities to exchange and study short-term and long-term; Students of the Academy are taught training programs accredited according to regional standards, have the opportunity to participate in student exchange programs, international and regional credit exchanges, seek postgraduate scholarships, and have better career opportunities and income.

General Secretary and President To Lam; Head of the Central Economic Commission Tran Luu Quang; Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha; Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung; Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan and Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan, Director of the Vietnam National University of Agriculture planted a souvenir tree in the campus of the newly built Academy thanks to funding from the SAHEP-VNUA project.

With the support of the SAHEP-VNUA Project, the Academy has invited domestic and foreign experts and senior consultants to participate in strategic planning, consulting on innovation in university governance and organizational structure. Training for managers, and deploying autonomy to units.

Forming elite, excellent research groups, strong research groups, forming spin-offs to promote technology commercialization and linkage with businesses, conducting research to serve agricultural and rural development and international publications to ensure suitability with the practical situation of the Academy.

Construct a building to support research, training, international cooperation and social services; construct a main traffic route connecting different working, studying, researching and practicing areas of staff and students throughout the Academy.

With the support of the SAHEP-VNUA project, the Academy has built and maintained the activities of 36 strong research groups, 9 excellent research groups, and 3 elite research groups. In the 3 years of 2022-2024 alone, the Academy has successfully bid and participated in over 90 new topics/projects, far exceeding the initial commitment target of 19; every year, the groups have published over 400 domestic articles, 250 international articles, of which 72% of the articles are in the WoS/Scopus category; focusing on research to create products with high practicality and application, typically: 14 new plant varieties recognized for circulation; 05 technical advances; 02 improved livestock breeds;...

Connecting over 100 open databases from publishers or universities around the world to the centralized search portal of Luong Dinh Cua Library Information Center; opening 30 training classes on agricultural processes, techniques and solutions for nearly 1,300 people in 6 provinces of Hoa Binh, Son La, Lao Cai, Hung Yen, Lai Chau and 4 suburban districts of Hanoi.

The Academy continues to organize effective cooperation with corporations and companies such as: Trung Nam Corporation, Orion Corporation, Kamichiku Corporation - Japan, Intrinsic Innovations Vietnam Company, Lupin Platform Company, ... to carry out applied research tasks, technological innovation contributing to promoting socio-economic development of localities.

Source: https://danviet.vn/du-an-sahep-vnua-mang-den-su-doi-thay-nhu-the-nao-cho-hoc-vien-nong-nghiep-viet-nam-20241012220027235.htm