Dear Dr. Kim Jae Youl,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), I would like to extent our warmest welcome to all universities leaders and scholars attending the 4^th Asia Research Center Directors’ Workshop to be held today in Hanoi and the following days in Ha Long Bay. This workshop is organized in a very special year when VNU has just organized its centennial anniversary and Vietnam has just successfully hosted the APEC Leaders’ Meeting.

With the theme “Strengthening Exchanges and Cooperation among Asia Research Centers and Improving the Quality and Influences of the Centers’ Activities”, I believe that this workshop will provide good opportunities for center leaders and colleagues to discuss how to carry out all the centers’ related activities in such a way so as to achieve their objectives in the best manner.

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The lesson drawn from countries, which have succeeded in economic development is to regard investment in education as investment for development as well as science and technology as the driving forces for socio-economic development, especially when humankind is entering the intellectual civilization with the knowledge-based economy and vigorous globalization. In that spirit, Vietnam has defined that highly qualified human resources, science and technology are the key factors that help the country rapidly catch up with advanced countries in the region and the world. In that connection, I highly appreciate KFAS’s financial support for various scientific activities through 14 Asia Research Centers at leading universities and research institutions in Asian countries in general and in VNU in particular.

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Since its foundation, VNU has paid a lot of attention to developing its links with internationally recognized universities and institutions in the world so as to realize one of its most important missions: high quality in training and research. Over the last years, VNU has developed cooperative links with over 100 higher education institutions and research institutes and international organizations all over the world. Through these close relationships and cooperation, VNU has conducted a number of joint research projects, training programs, international workshop/conferences and staff/student exchange programs… Especially, in 2006 – the year of the celebration of VNU’s centennial anniversary, VNU has successfully organized several important activities such as: Hanoi Forum on Higher Education in the 21^st Century under the auspices of the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies, with the participation of over 150 university leaders, educators and scholars from about 100 universities and institutions all over the world, Inter-Asean Universities Conference on Human Welfare, Peace and Sustainable Development, Presidents’ Forum of Four Major Universities in East Asia… And our workshop today is another vivid example of our effective cooperation.

Since its establishment, VNU’s Asia Research Center has effectively conducted its academic activities thus contributing to the realizations of the noble aims of the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies and raising VNU’s status in both domestic and international arena.

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This workshop is organized in a significant atmosphere when Vietnam has just accessed WTO, which has provided Vietnam with good opportunities but also a lot of challenges and only vigorously developing the knowledge-based economy and speeding up the international integration process can take full advantages of opportunities and overcome all challenges. VNU is entrusted with the mission of producing highly qualified human resources, products with high contents of grey matter thus contributing to the improvement of competitive capacity of the country’s economy. And the effective operation of our Asia Research Center may also contribute to that. In that connection, I believe that in this workshop, we will discuss views and ideas, and share experiences so that our centers can operate better and more effectively, develop and consolidate cooperative links among us for the benefit of all.

I would like to take this opportunity to express our science thanks to Dr. Kim Jae Youl and KFAS for the continued support for our Asia Research Center and especially for sponsoring this workshop.

Finally, I would like to wish you good health and happiness and our workshop great success.

Thank you all for your kind attention.