US-SEGA, Vietnam Ministry of Planning and Investment National Innovation Center, and Hue University Host Innovation Networking Workshop

*Attendants of the Innovation Network workshop took an anniversary photo after the workshop ended on March 25, 2023.*

On March 25, US Support for Economic Growth in Asia (US-SEGA), under the USAID Workforce for an Innovation and Startup Ecosystem (WISE) activity, partnered with the Vietnam Ministry of Planning and Investment National Innovation Center and Hue University to conduct an Innovation Networking workshop.

The workshop introduced the Digital Workforce Website and National Innovation Network (VNEI) Platform to connect all innovation centers in local universities and colleges across the country. In addition to showcasing resources for upskilling, the event included a discussion hosted by NIC’s Deputy Director focused on the ways in which Vietnam’s national innovation network can be strengthened to promote innovation and digital workforce development for Vietnam. The event also featured a round table from four innovation centers hosted in universities across Vietnam, highlighting how they are promoting innovation within each of their diverse regions.

Left: Deputy Minister of Education and Training Ministry Ngo Thi Minh delivering the opening remarks at the Innovation Network workshop. Right: Deputy Director of the National Innovation Center of Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment Do Tien Thinh welcoming participants at the Innovation Network workshop.

The hybrid event was attended by over 500 participants including government authorities, international experts, over 50 training institutions, the private sector, and students. The workshop highlighted the existing resources to help local workforce reskill and upskill their digital capabilities to embrace the ongoing focus on 4^th Industrial Revolution skills building in Vietnam.

The WISE activity continues to support the National Innovation Center to reach their goals of private sector engagement and promotion of knowledge and resources to build the skills of the Vietnamese workforce. The WISE activity, under the USAID-funded US-SEGA project, is a two-year buy-in launched in 2021 focused on upskilling the Vietnamese workforce to meet the demands of the 4^th industrial revolution (4IR).