At a recent series of Advisory Committee meetings and scientific workshops in Bali, Indonesia, the Faculty of Food Science and Technology at the Viet Nam National University of Agriculture presented the results of Phase 4 of the “Project for Human Resource Development in Agriculture and Food-related Areas through Partnership with Universities in ASEAN Region” (ASEAN-MAFF-HRD) and proposed directions for future collaboration. The project is funded by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries through the ASEAN Secretariat.
The project's long-term value lies in enhancing learners' knowledge and professional competencies while strengthening connections among educational and research institutions, government agencies, cooperatives, and businesses. Photo: VNUA.Over the past 12 years, participating institutions have organized 127 training courses, attracting a total of 9,274 participant enrollments. Of these, the Viet Nam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) directly organized 23 courses with 2,506 participant enrollments, accounting for approximately 18% of all courses and 27% of total participation. In 2026 alone, two training courses hosted by the university's Faculty of Food Science and Technology attracted 236 domestic participant enrollments.
The project's long-term value lies in enhancing learners' knowledge and professional competencies while strengthening connections among educational and research institutions, government agencies, cooperatives, and businesses.
For the Faculty of Food Science and Technology, the project has helped update teaching curricula based on international experience and standards, strengthen faculty expertise, and enhance its capacity to deliver specialized training programs. Cooperation with Japanese experts has also enabled researchers to gain access to analytical techniques with practical applications.
The scope of training has gradually expanded. In addition to food value chains, specialized courses on food analysis and food safety management were introduced during the project's second phase, providing participants with more advanced knowledge.
With more than 2,500 participant enrollments involving lecturers, students, government officials, and representatives of cooperatives and businesses, the university's training courses have provided access to advanced knowledge, standards, and management practices from Japan and ASEAN. These efforts have helped lay the foundation for developing a skilled food industry workforce, improving food safety, and strengthening the sector's ability to meet export market requirements.
Students at the Viet Nam National University of Agriculture conduct practical training using fish. Photo: VNUA.The training course on food value chains held in August was the final activity in Viet Nam under Phase 4 of the ASEAN-MAFF-HRD project. Following a review of the project's results, the Faculty of Food Science and Technology proposed maintaining and expanding its cooperation network with the ASEAN Secretariat, Japanese experts, and regional partners.
Priority areas include short-term training programs, expert exchanges, research, testing and standardization of analytical methods, laboratory capacity development, and technology transfer.
The faculty also aims to strengthen partnerships between universities, cooperatives, and businesses to develop safe and sustainable food supply chains. This direction builds on the university's role in connecting international experts with domestic organizations, helping ensure that training and knowledge transfer are more closely aligned with practical needs.