The Vietnam Update in 2018 will be held on Tuesday 13 November at the Australian National University, building on more than 25 years of the successful update series.

Forty years after đổi mới, Vietnam has one of the most open economies in the world and is becoming an increasingly significant player in global markets and regional institutions. Social media and digital technologies have made their way into the everyday life of citizens and the economy. These developments have had significant implications for social change within Vietnam, and present new challenges and opportunities. The Vietnam Update 2018 will examine how Vietnam has engaged in regional political and security agreements and organisations, and how land, environmental issues and digital technologies are shaping Vietnam today.

The Vietnam Update will divided into four sessions, each of which will include the presentation of papers, and audience discussion.

Keynote addresses

The keynote addresses will present the key political and economic events in Vietnam in 2018.

• Professor Martin Gainsborough, University of Bristol – Political Update

• Professor Nguyen Duc Thanh, Vietnam Institute for Economic and Policy Research – Economic Update

Vietnam’s engagement in the region

This session will examine the nature of Vietnam’s engagement in regional bodies to address trade, security and political matters, as well as the impact of regional and global alliances domestically.

• Emeritus Professor Carl Thayer, University of New South Wales – Vietnam and the South China Sea

• Ms Thi Le Dung Tran, University of New South Wales – Vietnam’s participation in the development of the Mekong Sub-region

Land and the environment

This session will consider the critical environment and land challenges facing Vietnam in the region and beyond, and their impact on Vietnamese government and society.

• Professor Dang Hung Vo, Hanoi National University – Renovation of Land and Housing Policy for Vietnam’s Participation in Free Trade Agreements

• Dr Tran Tu Van Anh, Ho Chi Minh City Open University – Choosing between economic development and environmental protection

• Dr Van Kien Nguyen, ANU Fenner School of Environment & Society, and Mr Minh Phuc Tran, Mekong Organics Platform – Vietnamese Rice Farmers in the World

Social media, digital technologies and cybersecurity

This session will examine the latest updates and critical challenges facing Vietnam in the expansion of social media and digital technology and how international technology is influencing the social and economic life of Vietnamese citizens.

• Mr. Nguyen Quang Dong, Institute for Policy Studies and Media Development – Social media and the state

• Dr Hien Pham and Ms Jessica Atherton, Data 61, CSIRO – Digitalisation and cyber security in the Digital Economy

Paper titles are tentative only. Additional speakers will be confirmed in the final program.

Further Information:

Registration is required: Registration is requested by Friday, 7 November, for catering purposes. Registration is free and open to the public at: http://bit.ly/2P64kfD

Catering: Lunch will be provided on the day of the Update, subject to prior registration.

Conference dinner: The conference dinner will be held on Monday 12 November for invited guests.

On-campus pay parking is from 8:00am-5:00pm, Monday to Friday. There are a number of carparks along Garran Road. For further information on parking locations please see: http://facilities.anu.edu.au/services/maps-and-way-finding

Presented by:

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Department of Political and Social Change, Strategic & Defence Studies Centre

Join in the VU 2018 conversation:

Event hashtag: #VU2018

Twitter: @ANUBellSchool

Facebook: @ANUBellSchool

Enquiries:

E bellschool@anu.edu.au

T 02 6125 2167