Working with the Korean Forest Service and Partners

Dr. Park Chongho – Executive Director of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO); Mr. Nam Song Hee – Director General, International Affairs Bureau, Korea Forest Service (KFS); Leaders of the National Remote Sensing Center of Korea; Directors of the Sejong National Arboretum and the Namsan Seoul Botanical Garden; renowned landscape design expert – Dr. Yun Ho Jun; and Prof. Park Byung Bae – Chungnam National University.

Working with the Korea Forest Service

At the meetings, the parties agreed on many key areas of cooperation, notably the plans to: Establish a Remote Sensing Center in Vietnam; Collaborate on REDD+ programs and forestry carbon credits; Provide training and capacity building for VNUF lecturers and students.

Promoting Strategic Projects: ASEAN – Korea Friendship Garden and Bamboo Development

In the meeting with the Executive Director of AFoCO, Prof. Dr. Pham Van Dien discussed the progress of the ASEAN – Korea Friendship Garden Project, which is being implemented on the University's campus.

AFoCO Executive Director – Dr. Park Chongho receives and works with the delegation

Both sides reaffirmed their long-term commitment to cooperation and further discussed expansion initiatives, including a project to develop bamboo raw material zones in the Northern and Central regions of Vietnam.

Dr. Park Chongho affirmed: "AFoCO always supports Vietnam's projects in general and VNUF in particular. We hope the University will implement the current project on schedule, effectively, and with widespread impact."

Commemorative photo at AFoCO headquarters

Optimizing the Friendship Garden Design and Learning from Practical Models

During the meeting with Dr. Yun Ho Jun – botanical garden design expert, both sides exchanged detailed ideas on the landscape design plan for the ASEAN – Korea Friendship Garden, aiming to highlight the architectural identity of both Vietnam and Korea in a harmonious and vibrant way.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Van Ha presents the design plan for the ASEAN – Korea Friendship Garden

Alongside professional meetings, the delegation visited and worked with leaders of the Sejong National Arboretum, Namsan Seoul Botanical Garden, and the Seoul Cultural and Historical Park to learn from experiences in planning, operation, and ecological-cultural landscape design.

Working with leaders of the Sejong National Arboretum

Opening New Opportunities for Vietnamese Forestry

The working trip was a great success, not only strengthening cooperative relations with South Korean partners but also opening up many new strategic prospects in international education, scientific research, technology transfer, innovation, and sustainable forestry development in line with global integration trends.

Some photos from the work trip

Commemorative photo at AFoCO headquarters and the National Remote Sensing Center of Korea

President Pham Van Dien presents a souvenir to the Director General of the International Cooperation Bureau, Korea Forest Service

President Pham Van Dien presents a souvenir to Mr. Chang Ho Shin – President of the Sejong National Arboretum

Prof. Hoang Van Sam presents the book Mangrove Forests of the Red River Delta to Mr. Nam Song Hee – Director General of the International Cooperation Bureau, Korea Forest Service (who wrote the book's foreword)

Field visit to learn from experience at the Seoul Cultural and Historical Park

Visit to the Sejong National Arboretum

Consultation with Prof. Dr. Park Byung Bae – Chungnam National University

Source: ICD

The workshop gathered numerous representatives from research institutes, universities, enterprises, associations, cooperatives, regulatory agencies, and experts in the field of sustainable agriculture. This was a practical forum for stakeholders to share current situations, analyze capacity gaps in training and practice, and propose solutions to improve the quality of human resources for the sector.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Dr. Pham Van Dien – President of the University – emphasized the role of Vietnam National University of Forestry in education, research, and knowledge transfer for the development of sustainable agriculture. He stated: "Capacity gaps are not fixed; they change over time, space, and subjects. To accurately identify these gaps, one must rely on the specific objectives of each period, which reflect the difference between what is needed and what is currently available." One of the key points is the need for suitable assessment tools to systematically and practically measure and identify the gaps. Prof. Dien also emphasized: "The University is strengthening cooperation with businesses and both domestic and international partners for a better future for learners, while also contributing to narrowing the gap in sustainable agriculture."

At the workshop, Dr. Nguyen Ba Long – Dean of the College of Land Management and Rural Development and Project Leader of HARVEST – presented the background of the project and analyzed the gaps in the current training programs, particularly in knowledge and skills related to ecological agriculture. He proposed developing short-term courses and integrating ecological agriculture content into undergraduate and graduate programs.

Dr. Do Thi Huong – Project Coordinator – presented the main activities being implemented by Vietnam National University of Forestry: assessment of capacity gaps; designing competency frameworks; developing short-term training programs; organizing capacity-building training courses; and preparing to establish an Innovation Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dao The Anh – Vice Director of the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences – presented an overview of ecological agriculture, highlighting current challenges, and the policies and models currently being applied in Vietnam.

Two dynamic group discussion sessions took place, focusing on three main topics:

1. Capacity gaps in training and practice;

2. Labor market demands;

3. Solutions to improve the quality of education in sustainable agriculture.

The participants identified common shortcomings such as practical skills, systems thinking, innovation capacity, and teamwork. Various solutions were proposed, such as: developing practice-oriented courses, integrating interdisciplinary content, strengthening connections with businesses and cooperatives, and applying modern teaching methods suitable for digital transformation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Some images from the Workshop

Prof. Dr. Pham Van Dien (President) delivers opening remarks at the workshop

Dr. Nguyen Ba Long – Dean of the College of Land Management and Rural Development (Project Leader)

Dr. Do Thi Huong (Project coordinator) presents an overview of the HARVEST Project

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dao The Anh – Vice Director of the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS) presents on ecological agriculture

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui The Doi (Vice President) gives a speech

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phung Van Khoa (Vice President) delivers the closing remarks of the workshop

Mr. Tran Manh Chien – CEO of Bac Tom Food Store Chain – Head of the Coordination Committee of PGS Vietnam

Dr. Tran Thi Thanh Binh – Director of the Center for Organic Agriculture – Vietnam National University of Forestry, Member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Organic Association

Source: ICD