In Hanoi , the Foreign Trade University, in collaboration with the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, successfully organized a seminar to launch a research project that is highly regarded and expected to have practical value. The seminar was held in a hybrid format, combining in-person and online participation.

"Associate Professor, Dr. Thai Thanh Ha - Head of the research team - presents the introductory report of the project."

In his opening remarks at the seminar, Associate Professor Dr. Dao Ngoc Tien, Vice Rector in charge of scientific research at the Foreign Trade University, emphasized that in the post-Covid context, the development of digital transformation, the digital economy , and the digital society has become an inevitable and objective necessity to promote social development. Based on the research framework from Australian scientists, Vietnam will be able to shorten its development process.

Associate Professor, Dr. Dao Ngoc Tien hopes that the project will be an opportunity for former students who have studied in Australia to contribute to promoting the development of bilateral relations between Australia and Vietnam, thereby contributing to society.

At the seminar, speakers shared the basic content of concepts related to the digital divide after the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as theoretical issues and key research that has been conducted. The digital divide, or digital disparity, is the gap that exists between individuals who have access to modern information and communication technology and those who do not. The speakers also explained the reasons for choosing the Australian Digital Inequality Index (ADII) for research and application in Vietnam.

Dr. Nguyen Hong Quan presented his paper at the seminar.

In his presentation, Dr. Nguyen Hong Quan, Head of the E-commerce Department at the Foreign Trade University, assessed e-commerce as a growth pole contributing to reducing digital fragmentation.

The scientific presentations from the speakers also thoroughly analyzed the influence of economic conditions, gender, and region on the digital divide, and the impact of the digital divide on access to education and healthcare services.

Concluding the seminar, Associate Professor Dr. Le Thai Phong, Head of the Faculty of Business Administration, Foreign Trade University, expressed his confidence that the research topic would be successful, contributing to diversifying the scientific research activities of the faculty and the university in the future. Associate Professor Dr. Le Thai Phong hoped that the research results would contribute to narrowing the digital divide in Vietnam, especially for disadvantaged groups in society such as ethnic minorities, mountainous areas, and areas with special difficulties, including disadvantaged groups in urban areas.

"Measuring Digital Differences in Vietnam in the Post-Covid-19 Era through the Development of a Pilot Digital Inclusion Index Based on the Australian Research Framework" is an applied scientific research project within the framework of the Vietnam-Australia Human Resource Development Program, approved by the Ministry of Education and Training under Decision No. 2589/QD-BGDĐT. Aimed at supporting alumni who have studied and worked in Australia, this program is called the Aus4Skills program of the Australian Embassy in Vietnam. The project belongs to the "Economic Growth and Public Governance" component and received research funding from June 2023 to June 2024.

Text and photos: CHIEN THANG

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