The Vietnam Update Conference Series
The Vietnam Update is a series of annual conferences that focus on recent economic, political and social conditions in Vietnam and provide in-depth analysis into a select theme of particular relevance to Vietnam's socio-economic development.
The main objective of the Vietnam Update is to inform government agencies, academics, policy makers, the corporate sector, NGOs, journalists and other key sectors about this strategically important country. Each conference has featured Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese professionals presenting the results of research done on recent developments and timely issues in Vietnam. People attending the conference come from diverse backgrounds: diplomats, development assistance specialists, journalists, lawyers, government officials, business people, clergy, academics, and students.
Each year the conference includes presentations on political and economic developments over the last year as well as papers that address the conference theme. Previous years' Vietnam Update themes have addressed Vietnam's renovation policies, state/society relations, civil society, rural evelopment, foreign investment, urbanization, the media, development organizations, local governance, international relations and social inequality. In 2006 the theme is 'new approaches to ethnic minorities in Vietnam'.
The first Vietnam Update was organised in 1990 by ANU researchers and was held at the Australian National University. In recent years the conference series has been organized in conjunction with researchers from the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. Over the years, financial assistance for the series has been provided by Australia's Official Aid Agency (AusAID), the Australian National University, the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and the Ford Foundation.
Several books have resulted from these conferences. Two more are being prepared. The list of publications from previous Vietnam Update conferences can be viewed at the link 'Publications'
