The government of Norway has pledged more than US$2.18 million to help Vietnam’s Nha Trang College of Fisheries improve its training and research capacity.
The agreement was signed in Hanoi late June by Norway’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Vietnam, Per G.Stavnum and Vietnam’s Deputy Education and Training Minister Tran Van Nhung.
The support is part of a NORAD-funded co-operation programme started in 2003 and scheduled to end in 2006. A purpose of the project is to train post graduate in fishing economy to enhance the capacity of the aquaculture sector. It will also help develop the college’s centre for biotechnology and the marine environment and strengthen management skills.
First masters of fishery economy will be trained as part of the project.
Also engaged in this programmme is the Norwegian College of Fishery Science (NCFS), which will take the overall responsibilities in supporting development of education programmes in Fisheries economics and organization. NCFS will also take the project management responsibilities on the Norwegian side.
The 44-year-old Nha Trang College of Fisheries is the only institution in the country that provides comprehensive fisheries studies.
“A lack of finance is the major constraint limiting the college’s research activities but such research is essential to supporting changes to the structure of the economy as well as the renovation of our curricular,” said college rector Quach Dinh Lien.
According to Lien, the college received VND400 million a year from the government, but it required VND6 billion for essential research of adult shrimp for breeding and the college did not have the money.
“We have to search for different sources of capital, especially foreign capital,” added the rector.
The college is also sponsored by Norwegian colleges and universities in a non-government project focusing on master training, research and technology transfer.
“We appreciate very highly the value of these projects and the way they help improve our capability,” Lien said.
“We’ve set the goal of being able to maintain the project’s activities when it ends. It’s very good for us to learn from Norway’s experience in master training and the organizing of scientific research.”
