COMMUNITY-UNIVERSITY-INDIVIDUALS PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FROM THE MEKONG 1,000 PROJECT IN THE LOWER MEKONG DELTA REGION, SOUTH VIETNAM

Abstract

Abstract

Given the context of cooperation of the triads in the educational field, any institution inVietnam has been implementing the interrelated-linked model: school-family-society, one of theVietnamese education principles. Recently, there has appeared a new “handshake” amongCommunity-University-Individuals (CUI) from the Mekong 1,000 Project in 13 provinces of the LowerMekong Delta Region (LMDR), South Vietnam in cooperation with Can Tho University (CTU), withthe hope of sending 1,000 candidates abroad for their graduate studies towards the human resourcedevelopment and knowledge transfer in the era of industrialization and modernization of Post-warVietnam. From this context, we would like to do research with the following issues.

The purposes of this study (May -November, 2010) were (1) to study the objectives, rolesand responsibilities and initial achievements of CUI Partnerships from the Mekong 1,000 Project forsustainable development in the Lower Mekong Delta Region, (2) to examine the opinions of partnersinvolved in this Project, and (3) to put forward to suggestions on CUI Partnerships objectives, roles,responsibilities to make the project a better success.

The methods of the research consisted of (1) a document research about the objectives,roles, responsibilities and initial achievements of CUI Partnerships since 2005, the official year of itsoperation, (2) a structured questionnaire with 22 items related to the respondents’ personal data,English Improvement Program at Center for Foreign Languages (CFL) in CTU, the roles,responsibilities and future contributions of the Project’s 27 candidates towards the future of LMDR,interviews with 1 Deputy Rector of CTU in charge of the Mekong 1,000 Project, 2 Deputy Directorsat CFL, CTU, 6 senior lecturers in English language directly teaching 4 Modules of EnglishImprovement Program, and 10 project candidates, and then close observations on administration,and directly teaching (in class) of the researchers, and (3) a descriptive report on suggestions onCUI Partnerships.

The results of the paper revealed that (1) CUI Partners are interrelated and mutualassistance to their objectives, roles and responsibilities for sustainable development in LMDR, andinitial achievements are valuable motives to make CUI Partnerships better cooperate so as to fulfill their jobs in the years to come, that (2) each partner provincial authority, CTU/CFL and projectcandidate has to try its best towards the bright future of LMDR in terms of human resourcedevelopment and knowledge transfer, and that (3) each partner needs to modify its objectives, rolesand responsibilities when the socio events unexpectedly occur on the long way to its final goals.

Key words: Mekong 1,000 Project, Lower Mekong Delta Region, Can Tho University, SustainableDevelopment, Partnerships and Human Resource Development