GRIPS held a Follow-up Seminar for the first time for the Special Three-Month Training and Research Program for Executive Officials of Vietnamese Government on November 24th, 2020.

It was co-organized with Central Committee of Organization and Personnel of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CCOP) and JICA.

The Seminar aims to follow up on alumni and strengthen connections between alumni, advisors, and staff involved. With a focus on the alumni of Mid-Term Training of FY2019, about 20 alumni of Mid-Term Trainees who visited Japan between FY2014 and 2019 participated in the Seminar.

In the first session, alumni attended the lecture, “Fight against COVID-19 in Japan: Experiences and Lessons”, by Prof. Masahiro Horie (Professor Emeritus and Director of the Executive Development Center for Global Leadership). After the lecture, they asked questions with the situation of Vietnam and future countermeasures to be taken by the government in mind.

In the second session, four alumni of the Mid-Term Training of FY2019 at Online Nhan Dan Newspaper Board (Nhan Dan Newspaper), Dak Lak Province (Department of External Affairs), Vietnam Red Cross (Disaster Management Department), An Giang Province (Provincial Youth Union) gave presentations on how they have applied, and would apply in the future, their learning in Japan. Then, they received feedbacks and encouragement for further success at their organizations from Prof. Horie and their advisors, Prof. Hirofumi Takada, Prof. Toshihiro Kudo, and Prof. Masaru Sugahara.

In the third session, other alumni reported their current situation and plans for the further application of their learning in Japan. They also received messages from their former advisors and staff involved. On Japan’s side, former advisors and administrative staff　of various organizations such as Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), and Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) attended the seminar. Alumni gathered at the venue in Hanoi, and enjoyed reunion with alumni on site and participants on Japan’s side via video conference screen.