In Hanoi, the Foreign Trade University has just coordinated with the Australian Embassy in Vietnam to successfully organize a seminar to launch this research topic which is highly appreciated and expected for its practical value. The seminar was organized in a combination of in-person and online formats.

“Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thai Thanh Ha - Head of the research team - presented the Project's Introduction Report”.

Speaking at the opening of the seminar, Associate Professor, Dr. Dao Ngoc Tien, Vice President in charge of scientific research at the Foreign Trade University, emphasized that in the post-Covid context, the development of digital transformation, digital economy and digital society has become inevitable and objective to promote social development. Relying on the research framework from Australian scientists will help Vietnam shorten its development process.

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

At the seminar, the speakers shared the basic contents of concepts related to the digital divide after the Covid-19 pandemic as well as theoretical issues and key studies that have been conducted. The digital divide or digital difference 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 reason for choosing the Australian measurement index (ADII) for research and application in Vietnam.

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

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

Scientific presentations from speakers also thoroughly analyzed the impacts of economic, gender, and regional factors on the digital divide and the impact of the digital divide on access to education and health services.

In his closing remarks, Associate Professor, Dr. Le Thai Phong, Head of the Faculty of Business Administration, Foreign Trade University, expressed his belief that the research topic will be successful, contributing to diversifying the scientific research activities of the faculty and the university in the coming time. Associate Professor, Dr. Le Thai Phong hopes that the research results will contribute to narrowing the digital gap in our country, especially for disadvantaged groups in digital development in society such as ethnic minorities, mountainous areas, especially difficult areas, including disadvantaged groups in urban areas.

“Measuring the post-Covid-19 digital divide in Vietnam 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-BGDDT. With the aim of 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 component “Economic growth and public administration”, and is funded for research from June 2023 to June 2024.

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