On the afternoon of November 26, 2025, National Economics University (NEU) held a formal reception and working meeting with a delegation from the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership – GOAP at the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney, Australia) and IPB University (Bogor, Indonesia). The Faculty of Environment, Climate Change and Urban Studies co-organized the program.

An overview of the meeting

Representing NEU at the meeting were Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu, Vice President; Prof. Dr. Do Thi Hai Ha, Rector of the College of Economics and Public Management; Prof. Dr. To Trung Thanh, Head of the Department of Research Management; Prof. Dr. Dinh Duc Truong, Dean of the Faculty of Environment, Climate Change and Urban Studies; and Dr. Pham Sy Long, Deputy Head of the Department of International Cooperation.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu speaks with the head of the delegation from the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (GOAP) – UNSW Sydney

Speaking at the meeting, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu, Vice President of NEU, welcomed the delegation from the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (GOAP) – UNSW Sydney and IPB University (Indonesia), and provided an overview of the University’s notable strengths in education, scientific research and international cooperation.

Vice President Nguyen Thanh Hieu emphasized that NEU is not only one of the country’s leading higher education institutions but also a respected policy advisory institution with close partnerships with many central ministries and agencies. With its team of experts possessing in-depth expertise and its extensive academic network, NEU regularly contributes to the development of socioeconomic strategies and plans, including those addressing green growth, the marine economy, resource governance and sustainable development.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu expressed his hope that the meeting would open up further avenues for cooperation between NEU and its partners, particularly in economics, management, sustainable development and the use of data in policymaking. This would provide an important foundation for the parties to jointly implement research programs, international projects and academic exchanges, and support the development of a high-quality workforce for the region and the world.

At the meeting, representatives of the delegation also expressed their appreciation for NEU’s academic standing and provided an overview of GOAP’s activities, IPB University’s research strengths and plans to expand cooperation with the Faculty of Environment, Climate Change and Urban Studies in the coming period.

Delegates exchange gifts and pose for a commemorative photograph at the meeting

Immediately following the reception, the delegation from the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) and IPB University held a lively and productive technical working session with the Faculty of Environment, Climate Change and Urban Studies. Chaired by Prof. Dr. Do Thi Hai Ha, the session featured extensive academic discussions on research and cooperation directions in the fields of the environment, climate and urban governance.

The meeting took place in an open and candid atmosphere, focusing on pressing issues concerning resource and environmental governance, sustainable development and the ocean economy. The specialist teams agreed to continue developing a strategic, long-term cooperation program aimed at establishing joint research projects, joint training models and initiatives to support future policymaking.

A representative of UNSW Sydney presents the Ocean Accounts system and an international ocean governance model

The UNSW Sydney representative presented the Ocean Accounts system, an advanced methodological framework for compiling statistics on, quantifying and integrating the economic, social and environmental values of marine resources into development decisions. This approach is being used by many countries to support sustainable marine policymaking.

The delegation also introduced major projects currently being implemented by GOAP, covering marine spatial governance, coastal ecosystem valuation, coastal disaster risk reduction and multinational marine cooperation models. Case studies from Australia, Indonesia and Thailand provided diverse perspectives, suggesting numerous avenues for comparative research in the Vietnamese context.

UNSW emphasized its desire to promote cooperation in three key directions: (1) developing shared datasets for comparative research within the region; (2) establishing a transnational research group on the marine economy and ecosystem services; and (3) developing funding proposals targeting international programs such as GEF, ACIAR, DFAT or the Newton Fund.

Also at the meeting, the Faculty of Environment, Climate Change and Urban Studies presented its ongoing research areas in detail, including topics highly compatible with the Ocean Accounts framework.

Key areas include: (1) Research on payments for ecosystem services (PES/PPES) in various localities in Vietnam, including cost-benefit measurement, institutional frameworks and governance effectiveness; (2) Ecosystem service valuation and quantification of environmental values, particularly concerning forest resources, water resources, estuaries and coastal areas; (3) Resource and environmental economics, with notable research on resource governance, climate change, carbon economics and sustainable development; (4) Initiatives of the CCG Vietnam network, in which the Faculty serves as the national focal point, connecting with international experts from Cambridge, Durham, UNSW, KTH and others. CCG projects on CLEWs modeling, blue economy development and low-carbon solutions are all suitable for expanding trilateral cooperation.

The Faculty of Environment, Climate Change and Urban Studies also emphasized its desire to integrate Ocean Accounts into existing research and expand into new topics such as the ocean economy, coastal resource values and marine-based green growth strategies.

Delegates attend the in-depth working session

The meeting identified significant alignment in the research priorities of all three parties, laying the foundation for several specific avenues of cooperation:

First, establishing a joint Vietnam–Australia–Indonesia research group on the following topics: ocean accounting; cost-benefit analysis of marine resource management; the economics of climate change in coastal areas; and comparison of blue economy models across the three countries.

Second, developing a research exchange program for lecturers, PhD candidates and students, including exchanging materials, sharing data, jointly supervising PhD candidates, organizing regular seminars and conducting short-term research visits to UNSW and IPB.

Third, developing international funding proposals targeting research funds focused on oceans, climate change and sustainable development. The two sides agreed to jointly develop concept notes as soon as possible to seek funding for interregional projects.

Fourth, proposing applications of research findings to planning and policymaking, such as developing blue economy models, managing mangrove forests, protecting coastal ecosystems and assessing the economic impacts of marine resource degradation.

The in-depth working session demonstrated substantial potential for establishing a long-term cooperation program among NEU, the University of New South Wales and IPB University. Discussions went beyond research ideas to develop specific, feasible directions with lasting impact.

The connection among these three leading universities in the region is expected to make an important contribution to research on the marine economy, resource and environmental governance, and the development of green growth policies in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

Article and photos: Faculty of Environment, Climate Change and Urban Studies and Department of Communications

This is an automated translation. If you notice any errors, please contact the Department of Communications, National Economics University at phongtruyenthong@neu.edu.vn.