Society increasingly sets policies and goals combatting the effects of climate change and moving towards attaining global sustainability goals (SDGs). These global goals translate to urgent public policies for climate adaptation, energy transition, or circular economy, among others. The SDGs are compelling inspirations for transitions in different sectors that require all societal actors to apply new knowledge or skills or to acquire such through innovation and research. Universities are actively invited to contribute to these goals and policies by providing dedicated graduates and research output.
The Netherlands, while building from a history of formal and non-formal social arrangements, has a growing number of broad social partnerships including universities, with increasing complexity. Vietnam has recently adopted the law on public-private collaboration, which aims to regulate an emerging number of more classic public-private partnerships (PPPs), mostly in sectoral or infrastructure investments.
Saxion and NEU staff have recently compared notes on university efforts and roles in (public-private) partnerships, especially contributing towards sustainable development goals such as the energy transition and circular economy. On the occasion of a monitoring mission on the NUFFIC funded ‘Draw down curriculum development’ project and the first post-covid Erasmus+ funded Saxion UAS staff exchange with NEU, TDT, and TVU, the NEU and Saxion UAS jointly organize a round table session. Its aim is to discuss, exchange, and compare examples of universities collaborating with Public or Private organizations.
Universities are open to the call from society and wish to interact with concrete parties in society to develop, within their capacities, a tailored set of actions. Governments, Universities, and Businesses may agree on broad arrangements with broad goals or may agree on a narrow set of actions, depending on the policy environment and institutional framework. Already known examples are formalized engagements for teachers/researchers to engage with (groups of) business, engage in Profession Oriented curriculum development or work-based learning, and/or setting research agendas or research centers. Arrangements may have or develop specific goals and goal-setting mechanisms, measurable targets, partner commitment, financing, organizational setup, and so on.
The round table invites participants to share their understanding of PPPs, especially in the field of (higher) education, suggest their success factors, and inventory the need in Vietnam for experience sharing and knowledge development.
The outcome will be reported on and will have a follow-up through joint efforts by the organizers.
Organization: Saxion UAS and National Economics University Hanoi (NEU)
Invited participants: Partner universities, government policymakers, ADB, Dutch Embassy, companies
Time: Morning, 29 July 2022
Venue: National Economics University, 207 Giai Phong, Dong Tam, Hai Ba Trung, Ha Noi