1. SUNI-SEA PROJECT (Scaling-Up NCD Interventions in South East Asia)

The increasing concerns on NCDs and their burden has led to a research project entitled "Scaling-Up NCD Interventions in South-East Asia (SUNI-SEA)" which is being delivered through a collaboration of nine consortium members from Europe and South-East Asia. This 4-year research project started in 2019 and is taking place in Indonesia, Myanmar and Vietnam.

The overall aim of the SUNI-SEA project is to evaluate and validate effective and cost-effective scaling-up strategies of evidence-based diabetes and hypertension prevention and management programmes, and apply results to enhance sustainable action for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), based on experiences in South-East Asia.

The SUNI-SEA consortium includes nine consortium members from Europe and South East Asia as follows: University Medical Center Groningen, Netherlands; University of Groningen (Faculty of Economics and Business), Netherlands; University of Passau, Germany; Trnava University, Slovak Republic; HelpAge International; Age International; Sebelas Maret University, Indonesia; Health Strategy and Policy Institute, Vietnam and Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam.

Website: https://www.suni-sea.org/en/

2. SAFEMA PROJECT

SafeMa is an E+ CBHE project which aims to create a new postgraduate programme in Advanced Midwifery Practice in Asia (Grant Agreement 2018-3857/001-001). The SafeMa E+ CBHE project focuses on postgraduate level training, providing advanced courses and guidance in developing research skills necessary to develop innovative new data-driven techniques.

SafeMa aims to advance partner HEIs’ capacities so as to generate and spread excellence in midwifery education and research.

SafeMa Hubs for excellence in midwifery will be established in the participating universities will promote knowledge development, sharing and transfer concerning midwifery along with their contribution on overcoming challenges faced by midwifes, such as poor pay, low status and a lack of support and the gender biases that feed these challenges.

The specific objectives of the SafeMa E+ CBHE project are: 1. Transfer best international practices to address local needs; 2. Promote clinical skills and research potential; 3. Awareness-raising, network-building and fundraising.

SafeMa consortium consists of well-established Universities in Greece, Denmark, Cambodia and Vietnam as follows: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece; University College of Northern Denmark, Denmark; Research Innovation and Development Lab, Greece; University of Health Science, Cambodia; International University, Cambodia; Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam; Nam Dinh University of Nursing, Vietnam; and Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam. EU partners have long experience in midwifery education and research, knowledge transfer, and innovation. All partner universities are eager to strengthen their capacities in midwifery education delivery; SafeMa allows them to develop an own model in line with local needs and strengths.

Website: https://safema-project.eu/site/

3. The "Health Professionals Education and Training for Health System Renovations" Project (HPET project)

In November 2017, Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy was approved by Vietnam Ministry of Health to be one of the medical schools in Vietnam to participate in the project entitled "Health Professionals Education and Training for Health System Renovations".

The "Health Professionals Education and Training for Health System Renovations" (abbreviated as HPET project) under direct responsibility of Vietnam Ministry of Health is implemented by World Bank loan and European Union's non-refundable aid entrusted through the World Bank in 28 universities and colleges of medicine and pharmacy in Vietnam. The intervention activities of the project shall be deployed to 15 provinces and 62 poor districts. The common goal of the project is to "Improve quality of health professional education and training, strengthen management competencies in the health sector, and improve the competencies of primary health care (PHC) teams at the grass-roots level".

The project comprises of four components: (i) improve comprehensive quality of health professionals education for key health professionals education programs; (ii) strengthen health management competency and management and use of human resource for health; (iii) Improve competencies of health workers at the grass-roots level for an effective primary healthcare; and (iv) manage the project.

To contribute to improving the training quality in accordance with the policy of fundamental and comprehensive innovation in education and training under the Central Resolution 29, the Ministry of Health has issued the basic competency standards of general practitioners. Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy registered to participate in the HPET project under sub-component 1.2: Competency based Renovation of Medical Training Program, tentatively implemented from 2017 to 2020. Through activities such as curriculum assessment and review to meet the basic competency standards promulgated by the Ministry of Health, faculty development, learning material and assessment tool development, construction of information technology and library system to support the competency based education, the expected outcomes of the project is: The renovated curricula shall meet  the basic competency standards of general doctors; Faculties, teaching/learning material, assessment tools and facilities are improved comprehensively to generate competent doctors.

4. IMPACT-MED Project

Implementing the Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy Development Strategy for the period 2015-2020, and the vision to 2025, and recognizing the need to improve the curriculum according to competency-based training approach, Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy work with The Partnership for Health Advancement in Vietnam (HAIVN), a collaboration between Harvard Medical School (HMS) and two of its teaching hospitals, the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital to implement the project entitled "Improving Access, Curriculum and Teaching in Medical education and Emerging Diseases" (IMPACT MED), a program under the AID-440-A-16-00002 cooperation between the USAID and the HAIVN from October 2017 to May 2021. IMPACT-MED is implemented to support the implementation of the project between Vietnam Ministry of Health and World Bank - The "Health Professionals Education and Training for Health System Renovations" project (HPET project).

The project aims at three objectives: 1) Innovation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) teaching in the medical schools to institute a blended and more active learning approach through training in modern pedagogy, use of technology, and integration of clinical content; 2) Improving teaching and learning of key skills necessary to ensure a strong, high quality work force able to detect, treat and respond to emerging health threats; and 3) Developing leadership and institutional capacity for continuous and sustainable innovation and improving access and outcomes for socially and economically disadvantaged students.

To accomplish the objectives, Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy has collaborated with HAIVN in undertaking activities such as developing faculty in curriculum reform, designing courses and applying student-centered pedagogy, creating active learning environments, building capacity for continuous educational evaluation and improvement, improving capacity of hospitals to detect and respond to infectious outbreaks, improving communication and collaboration among clinical and public health professionals and improving access and outcomes for disadvantaged students

Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy and our partners believe that IMPACT-MED together with other educational improvement projects will make great contribution to training a more creative, skilled and dynamic team of health workers who are able to meet current and emerging health challenges.

5. Improving Healthcare Outcomes In Chronic Disease - Enhancing The Curriculum At Masters Level (IHOD Project)

Chronic disease is the major cause of death in the partner countries, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Russia. All the partner country governments have prioritised action in relation to chronic disease. The World Health Organisation point out that there is a need to increase the capacity of health care workers in this area and has noted that training of health care staff at primary level is inadequate to deal with diabetes.
To improve healthcare outcomes and reduce the economic burden of chronic disease, enhanced training at post-graduate level will be necessary.

The specific objective of the project is to support the modernisation of the curriculum by developing new and innovative courses and methodologies in health studies related to chronic disease at master level.

Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy has participated in a number of the project activities, including:

• Assigning faculties to take part in study tours to EU universities

• Developing Epidemiology Module in line with the ECTS guidelines

• Attending one- week competence enhancing courses in the EU

• Attending  one-week "train the trainers" courses

• Assigning students to participate in one-month long student mobility programs

Through having health care workers trained in the new curricula, using of the holistic approach to patient care and public health promotion, which aim at improving health competencies and reducing the costs of chronic disease treatment, the project promises bringing great impacts to the health sector and giving beneficiaries to the patients.