|
|
|
|
CONTENTS Free Training
Sessions Provided by VDIC Selected Online
Resources on Consumer Rights Highlights from the
New Additions to VDIC Library Useful Web Sites: 10
Places to Get a Free Business Education Online Selected Publications for Sale at VDIC Distance Learning Center Events in March 2008 |
|
|
View online version of the newsletter at http://www.vdic.org.vn >> Newsletter |
|
VDIC
News
Free Training Sessions
Provided by VDIC
Location:
VDIC, Ground Floor, 63 Ly Thai
To, IMPORTANT NOTICES FOR PARTICIPANTS: * Please read the course materials
available online at http://www.vdic.org.vn/?name=library&op=viewDetailNews&id=339&mid=322&cmid=361
before attending the class. It is useful to take
them to the class for additional notes since we do not provide participants
with printed course materials. * Please bring your own laptop to
the classes if possible since these training sessions require computer use
and Internet access while number of computers for class participants are
limited. Wifi is provided free of charge at VDIC. “Searching the Internet:
basic skills” class Date:
Aims: After
the workshop, participants should: (i) have a better understanding of
information-finding possibilities on the Internet (ii) have a broad overview
of different search tools (iii) be able to phrase search queries effectively. “Referencing skills” class Date:
Aims: After
the workshop, participants should know how to: (i) manage their references
(ii) cite the references appropriately (iii) create a reference list or
bibliography. Everyone
is welcome - please visit the VDIC to sign up at the front desk, or send an
email to nvu2@worldbank.org
with your name, organisation, and telephone number and specify the class(es)
you want to participate. Acceptance of registration will be done on first
come first serve basis. Exhibitions at VDIC
Please see Library section for lists of selected
resources on the exhibition themes below. World Consumer Rights Day 15 March
2008: Junk Food Generation - the need for action Unhealthy diets are a major cause
of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers, which are on the rise especially
in low and middle-income countries. These preventable diseases come at a
massive cost to human life, people's livelihoods and the health service.
About 22 million children around the world under the age of five are already
overweight or obese and we must act to prevent the spread of the childhood
obesity epidemic. That’s why we need to stop the
marketing of unhealthy food to children. While parents may ultimately be
responsible for feeding their children, the aggressive marketing aimed at
their children is undermining their efforts – parents may be telling their
children to eat healthy food but food company advertising is telling children
that unhealthy food products are desirable to eat. In some cases, parents may
be unaware of what messages their children are seeing, for example on
websites and in schools. The growing childhood obesity epidemic is putting
the health of future generations at risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer
and premature death. A number of things need to be done
in order to create an environment that enables people to have healthier diets
and undertake more physical activity. One of the main obstacles for people is
food marketing, advertising, sponsorship and promotion -‘messages that
encourage unhealthy dietary practices or physical inactivity should be
discouraged and positive, healthy messages encouraged'. We need a coherent
set of integrated actions, spanning national policies, regional and global
action focused on prevention. Small exhibition at VDIC on this
occasion provides brief information on this topic. |
|
Library
For more information
about VDIC library services and resources, please visit http://www.vdic.org.vn/?name=library&op=viewDetailNews&id=354&mid=322
Selected Online Resources on Consumer
Rights
Consumers
International http://www.consumersinternational.org
Vietnam
Standards and Comsumer Protection Association - VINASTAS http://www.nguoitieudung.com.vn/ Highlights from the New Additions to VDIC
Library
Full list of new additions to VDIC library in February 2008
can be found at http://www.vdic.org.vn/?name=library&op=viewDetailNews&id=161&mid=322&cmid=325 AGR-SEC 11. Tansey, Geoff;
Rajotte, Tasmin (eds.). The future
control of food. A Guide to International Negotiations and Rules on
Intellectual Property, Biodiversity and Food Security. Earthscan/IDRC,
2008. Full text http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-118094-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html ECO-POL 33. Ohno, Kenichi. Phát triển kinh tế ở Nhật Bản. Con đường đi
lên từ một nước đang phát triển. Diễn đàn Phát triển Việt ECO-POL 33 [Internet]. Ohno,
Kenichi. The Economic Development of ECO-POL-V54. Ohno, Kenichi;
Nguyen, Van Thuong (editors). Business
environment and policies in Hanoi. ECO-POL-V54. Ohno, Kenichi; Nguyễn,
Văn Thường (chủ biên). Môi trường và chính sách kinh doanh của Hà Nội
. Diễn đàn Phát triển Việt HEA-DEV 32. Amin, Samia; Das,
Jishnu; Goldstein, Markus (eds). Are
you being served?. New tools for measuring service delivery. The World
Bank, 2008. IND-POL-V1. Ohno, Kenichi
(editor). Industrial policy formulation
in IND-POL-V1. Ohno, Kenichi (chủ
biên). Hoạch định chính sách công nghiệp
ở Thái Lan, Malaysia và Nhật Bản. Bài học kinh nghiệm cho các nhà hoạch định
chính sách Việt Nam . Diễn đàn Phát triển Việt IND-V3. Ohno, Kenichi (chủ
biên). Xây dựng công nghiệp hỗ trợ tại
Việt SOC-MIG 21. Morrison, Andrew
(ed); Schiff, Maurice (ed); Sjoblom, Mirja (ed). The international migration of women. The World Bank, 2007. SOC-V2. Giang, Thanh Long
(editor). Social Issues under Economic
Transformation and Integration in SOC-V2. Giang, Thanh Long; Dương,
Kim Hồng (chủ biên). Các vấn đề xã hội
trong quá trính chuyển đối và hội nhập kinh tế ở Việt TRA-FAI-V4. Asian Development
Bank (ADB). Siêu thị và người nghèo ở Việt
Nam. Asian Development Bank. Making Markets Work Better for the Poor,
2007. Full text http://www.markets4poor.org/?name=publication&op=viewDetailNews&id=1212 Useful Web Sites: 10 Places to Get a Free
Business Education Online
More useful web sites on development
issues can be viewed at http://www.vdic.org.vn/?name=usefullink&mid=314
Getting a business education doesn't have to be expensive. There are
an increasing number of colleges, universities and nonprofit organizations
offering free business courses online. Find out where you can sign up and
what you can get from these cost-effective sources. 1. MIT OpenCourseWare - Undergraduate
Business Courses http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/#undergrad Graduate
Business Courses http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Sloan-School-of-Management/#grad MIT
OpenCourseWare is not an MIT education, but it might be the next best thing.
This free online publication offers downloadable undergraduate and graduate business
courses from the MIT Sloan School of Management. The downloadable curriculum
includes lecture notes, videos, demonstrations, labs and more. Registration
is free and there are more than 50 courses available. 2. The Courses
on Starting a Business http://www.sba.gov/services/training/onlinecourses/TRANING_ATC_BUS.html
Courses
on Business Planning http://www.sba.gov/services/training/onlinecourses/trainig_atc_Buspln.html
Courses
on Business Management http://www.sba.gov/services/training/onlinecourses/trainig_atc_Buspln.html
Courses
on Finance and Accounting http://www.sba.gov/services/training/onlinecourses/training_atc_fin_act.html
The
Small Business Administration has one of the best selections of business
courses on the web. Topics include everything from starting a business and
business management to government contracting and international trade. Most
courses take only 30 minutes to complete. 3. The Free Nonprofit Micro-eMBA Program
(managementhelp.org) Complete
Nonprofit Management Learning Coursework http://www.managementhelp.org/np_progs/org_dev.htm#anchor660058
Free
Management Library's Free Nonprofit Micro-eMBA(SM) Program is the perfect
resource for students who want to learn more about nonprofit management.
Completion of the course does not result in an actual MBA degree, but
enrollment is absolutely free. The amount of time it takes to complete the
program depends on how fast you learn, but you can expect to spend at least
200 hours on coursework. 4. 'Business Week' Free Online Courses
(bwcourses.com) Registered
Business Week users will soon be able to take advantage of free
instructor-led online courses through the Business Week website. Course
offerings include but are not limited to: High-Impact,
Low-Cost Marketing http://www.bwcourses.com/courses/overview.jsp?courseId=1702&webPageId=1000004
Taking
Your Small Business Online http://www.bwcourses.com/courses/overview.jsp?courseId=3001&webPageId=1000004
The Art
of Business Networking http://www.bwcourses.com/courses/overview.jsp?courseId=1701&webPageId=1000004
All
courses have four to eight lessons and last an average of two weeks. 5. My Own Business - (myownbusiness.com) Overview
of All 14 Sessions on Starting a Small Business http://www.myownbusiness.org/course_sba.html
Nonprofit
organization My Own Business, Inc. offers a free online business course that
would be beneficial to new managers and anyone interested in starting their
own business. The comprehensive course is split into 14 sessions and covers
topics like business plans, insurance, accounting, marketing, e-commerce and
international trade. For less than $100, students can also acquire a
certificate of completion and an accompanying textbook. 6. Business Entrepreneur Courses
(trumpuniversity.com) Overview
of All Business Entrepreneurship Courses http://www.trumpuniversity.com/entrepreneurship/index.cfm
7. Strategic
Planning and Execution Course http://www.kutztownsbdc.org/eLearningCourses/sba-strategicplan.asp
Kutztown
Univeristy of 8. iLearn Small Business Courses (ivillage.com) The Art
of Business Networking http://ilearn.ivillage.com/courses/overview.jsp?courseId=5347& Get
Organized: Managing Time, Space, and Paper http://ilearn.ivillage.com/courses/overview.jsp?courseId=9644& Advanced
Microsoft Excel 2007 http://ilearn.ivillage.com/courses/overview.jsp?courseId=17644& Courtesy
of iVillage, iLearn Small Business Courses are free online instructor-led
courses that are available 24/7. Courses are split into four or more lessons
and include special features like interactive message boards and one-on-one
tutorials from course instructors. 9. Course
Samples include: Managing
Cash Flow http://www.exinfm.com/training/course04/index.htm
The
Management of Capital http://www.exinfm.com/training/course06/index.htm
Creating
Value through Financial Management http://www.exinfm.com/training/course08/index.htm
Project
Management http://www.exinfm.com/training/course19/index.htm
Full
list of All 20 Business Finance Courses http://exinfmvs.securesites.net/training/
The 10. State of Overview
of Small Business Courses http://www.mainesbdc.org/train_login.cfm
The
State of [Source: http://education-portal.com/articles/10_Places_to_Get_a_Free_Business_Education_Online.html
|
|
Selected
Publications for
|
|
|
|
Funding Opportunities
For more funding
opportunities, please read previous VDIC newsletters at http://www.vdic.org.vn/?name=newsletter&op=viewDetailNews&id=230&mid=350
For
further information on the news provided below, please contact the
organization directly. "A Better World" Photo Competition Friends of the Earth International
announces the launch of its annual photo competition, which will gather
photos from around the world on the theme of “Inspiration, Hope and
Possibilities for a Better World.” The best shots will feature in a
Friends of the Earth International 2009 wall calendar, greeting cards, and
other materials. We are looking for imaginative,
striking photos on the theme of "Inspiration, Hope and Possibilities for
a Better World" that illustrate environmental and social change in the
following categories: 1) Reclaiming Tradition 2) Innovation for the Future 3) People and Transformation Our global photo competition is free
of charge, and both professional and amateur photographers are invited to
submit photos. We particularly encourage young people, women and people
living in the developing world to take part. The deadline for entries is 1 April
2008. For more information and
competition rules see http://www.foei.org/en/photo Call for Submissions for the SEED Awards 2008 Do you have an entrepreneurial or
innovative idea that is locally-driven and has great potential to contribute
to sustainable development in developing countries? Are you finding new ways
of simultaneously improving incomes and strengthening livelihoods; tackling
poverty and marginalisation; and managing and conserving natural resources
and ecosystems? Are you developing a new concept that brings together people
and organizations from different backgrounds - a project that challenges
partners to pool their human, financial, and natural resources? Do you need support to make your
idea a reality, or to help you grow? If so, then we would like you to
tell us about your idea. The SEED Initiative is seeking
submissions for "The 2008 SEED Awards for Entrepreneurship in
Sustainable Development". We welcome innovative ideas from any group in
a developing country, which is working in partnership with others to generate
environmental and social benefits in an entrepreneurial way. SEED Award Winners receive a
tailored package of support services to help them to become established and
to increase their impact. This
includes access to relevant expertise and technical assistance, meeting new
partners and building networks, developing business plans and identifying
sources of finance. The Award is not a cash prize - but the services offered
have a value of US$25,000. The call is open until the 16th
March 2008. For information about the SEED
Awards http://www.seedinit.org/ Doctoral Workshop on Development and International Organizations
– Call for Proposals Paper proposals are invited from
current doctoral students and early career postdoctoral researchers (up to
three years post-PhD) conducting research on the World Bank Group and other
international organizations in any social science field. Successful candidates will be asked
to present a research paper of 8,000 –9,500 words in advance of the workshop. Successful candidates will have
their travel and accommodation expenses covered. No per diem, meals or local
transportation costs (in the participant’s country of departure) will be
covered. The workshop will be scheduled to
coincide with the Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics (ABCDE),
which will take place in Submitted papers must focus on the
work (policy, operations) of one or more of the organizations listed below: 1. Bretton Woods Institutions: The
World Bank Group, The International Monetary Fund; 2. World Trade Organization (WTO); 3. Regional multilateral
development banks: Inter-American Development Bank, African Development Bank,
Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; Paper proposals may address any
aspect of development-related activity of these organizations. For example,
topics might include, but are not limited to: • Country studies of specific
policies or projects; • Governance and organisational
reform; • Links between trade and
development; • Relations between various
organizations (e.g. World Bank-IMF); • Aid harmonization and
coordination; Bilateral versus multilateral aid; • Engagement and partnerships with
new donors (e.g. Application is open to researchers
of any nationality and any country of residence, currently enrolled in a PhD
program or having completed their PhD no later than three years beforehand
(as of The deadline for applications is
March 12th, 2008. More information available on http://www.radnetwork.org Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics (ABCDE) 2008
Support Grant ABCDE Support Grant (ASG) is a
joint program of the World Bank and the ABCDE host country, providing an
opportunity to developing countries participants to take part in the Annual
Bank Conference on Development Economics. The grant aims to ensure that the
conference is accessible to academics, researchers, journalists,
parliamentarians and leaders of the civil society from countries all over the
globe. Applicants must be nationals of and
currently reside in a developing or transition country (please see list –
eligible countries are defined by the World Bank as low income, lower middle
and upper middle income). Decisions are based on the applicants'
qualifications and their abilities to transfer experience and knowledge
gained at the conference to their professional communities upon return home.
The decisions of the selection committee are made with a view to ensure a
fair gender balance and regional representation. Researchers whose main area
of academic interest is the World Bank are especially encouraged to apply.
The beneficiaries of the grant are welcome to attend the Annual Meeting of
the Researchers’ Successful applicants will have
their full travel expenses, visa costs and accommodation covered during the
time of the conference. The ticket will be provided to the grantee and hotel
will be booked for him/ her. The participants are responsible for their own
visa arrangements, with assistance from the host country, if necessary.
Transportation from and to the airport will be provided. Local transportation
in the candidate’s country of origin will not be covered. Deadline: For more information please visit http://go.worldbank.org/ZQBAUQFVZ0 International Essay Competition 2008 The International Essay Competition
2008 has been launched! The competition is sponsored by the World Bank, the
Cities Alliance, and the Government of Norway. This year's theme is
"What can you do to shape the city of your dreams?" Prizes of $5000
and $1000 will be awarded to the best essays. Deadline for submissions: For more information please visit http://www.essaycompetition.org/ Call for Applications — 2008 Louise Lown Heart Hero Award The LOUISE LOWN HEART HERO AWARD is
given annually to celebrate and recognize innovative, preventive approaches
to promoting cardiovascular health in developing countries and other low-resource
settings. Applications are encouraged from
community-based programs (non-profit, governmental, or private sector)
working to promote heart health in developing countries or other low-resource
settings (i.e., disadvantaged communities in developed countries) through
innovative, preventive approaches. To be considered, applicants must have
been in operation for a minimum of one year, meet additional criteria
specified below, and provide all information as requested on the application
form. Examples of eligible initiatives
include community programs promoting physical activity, nutrition, or tobacco
control; population-based interventions reducing diabetes, hypertension, and
obesity; patient-focused clinical programs increasing access to screening,
identification, and control of risk factors; advocacy and policy activities;
and resource development and dissemination. Award Amount: US$1000 Applicants should focus on one
specific initiative rather than an organization's entire body of work. The initiative
must: • Build awareness or support action
that promotes heart health. • Be community-based and
innovatively respond to local health needs. • Demonstrate success. • Be cost-effective and potentially
sustainable. • Have the potential to be adapted
or replicated in other settings. • Have been in operation for a
minimum of one year. The deadline for the 2008 Louise
Lown Heart Hero Award is 30 April 2008. For more information please visit http://www.procor.org The WASH Media Awards on water supply, sanitation or hygiene in
developing world The Water Supply and Sanitation
Collaborative Council (WSSCC) and the Stockholm International Water Institute
(SIWI) are co-sponsoring the second edition of the WASH Media Award
competition, to be held between July 2007 and April 2008. This competition is
open to journalists in developing countries who publish or broadcast original
investigative reports on issues relating to water supply, sanitation or
hygiene in their countries. The WASH Media Award initiative contributes to
the International Year of Sanitation 2008 by recognizing and supporting the
crucial role of the media in attracting attention to and influencing the WASH
crisis. Journalists can each submit up to
two pieces of work, which can include articles from traditional print or
recognized online newspapers, magazines, or journals; radio broadcasts;
television documentaries or reports. Eligible works must be published or
broadcast between 1 July 2007 and 30 April 2008. Articles or broadcasts can
be submitted in French, English or Spanish. Works not originally published or
broadcast in one of these languages must be translated into one of the three
competition languages in order to be considered for submission. Prizes will be awarded in each of
the three competition languages, with anadditional prize awarded for the best
entry that deals specifically with issues related to gender and water,
sanitation or hygiene. A ceremony presenting the winning entries will take
place at the World Water Week in Submissions to this competition
will be judged by a nine member international jury, jointly convened by SIWI
and WSSCC. The jury, which will have three judges for each of the three
competition languages, will be composed of respected members of the media,
particularly those with strong backgrounds in environmental journalism.
Entries will be judged onthe following criteria: 1. Originality of subject: capacity
of the story to surprise 2. Quality of content: style,
structure and objectivity of information 3. Quality of research:
thoroughness in researching, compiling and incorporating relevant information 4. Working conditions: difficulties
the journalist had to cope with while doing the research and producing the
story 5. Relevance of the WASH issues:
capacity of the story to link WASH issues to the overall development process 6. Potential public impact:
capacity of the story to have an impact on the general public and political
opinion 7. Proven public impact: the story
had a tangible effect on water supply, sanitation or hygiene policy in the
country or locality where and about which it was written. All entries must be received by no
later than 15 May 2008. For more information please visit http://esa.un.org/iys/docs/Wash%20Media%20Award.pdf Post-doctoral research fellowships under the Applications are invited for
post-doctoral research fellowships under the Southeast Asia Urban
Environmental Management Applications (SEA-UEMA) project.This is a
partnership project between the Canadian International Development Agency
(CIDA) and the Asian Institute of Technology. Its goal is to contribute to the
improvements of urban environmental conditions in The post-doctoral fellowships are
one year funded positions for applied research on UEM practices and policies.
Fellows will be required to produce a publication at the conclusion of
research activities. Selected candidates will receive: * A fellowship of 50,000 Baht per
month towards living costs * Research fund of up to 150,000
Baht on cost-reimbursable basis * Round trip economy travel
expenses * Office space,equipments,access to
internet and academic facilities in AIT * Selection Criteria * Candidates should be graduates
with a doctoral degree. Research and work
experience in UEM or a related field is required. The research
proposed under the fellowship should focus on practices and policies related
to any of the three sub-sectors: water and sanitation, solid waste and air
pollution * The applicant must be from
Canadian ODA eligible Southeast Asian countries ( * Research in collaboration with
other organizations will be encouraged * Good and effective interpersonal,
written and oral communication skills are required Qualified female applicants are
strongly encouraged to apply. An application must be accompanied with a
complete curriculum vitae, reprints of publications and a research proposal
clearly indicating objectives and research design. The proposal must also
indicate the scope of integrating gender equality. Names of two referees with
their contact information must be provided. Application deadline for the
fellowships is 15 July of each year. Associated websites http://www.ait.ac.th/ The Bentley Cropping Systems Fellowship This Fellowship (a bequest from
Helen S. Bentley and C. Fred Bentley) provides assistance to Canadian and
developing-country graduate students with a university degree in agriculture,
forestry or biology, who wish to undertake postgraduate, applied, on-farm
research with cooperating farmers in a developing country. Proposals must
focus on very simple cropping systems research that can benefit smallholder
farmers in developing countries, especially rural women farmers. Research
proposals must include details of the comparisons envisioned between the
traditional cropping practice of cooperating farmers and the side-by-side
alternative cropping practice, which must include some type of leguminous
crop or plant. Applicants must be Canadian
citizens, permanent residents of The value of the award is up to CA
$30,000. If there is strong evidence
of significant potential benefits, the award may be extended upon
re-application. Applications must: * Provide evidence that a large
part, or all of the research, will be carried out on the farms of resource
poor or smallholder farmers. The award will not support research carried out on
the farms of large land holders or on research stations; * Provide evidence that farmers
will actively participate in the experiments.
Thus, the development of simple on-farm experimental designs with
appropriate controls to determine the practicality and profitability of
introducing a leguminous crop in their cropping system is essential; * Explain how the research data was
collected and how the introduction of leguminous plants in their cropping
systems is expected to improve the economic benefits to farmers; * Applicants should suggest
anticipated benefits/improvements and sustainability of their proposal Deadline: October 1st, 2008 (awards
will be announced by mid-December 2008) For more information please visit http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-23379-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html UNEP-CMS Thesis Award - Second Call for Applications Since August 2007 the UNEP/CMS
advertises a Thesis Award on Migratory Species Conservation of 10,000 EURO
(c. 14,600 The thesis should provide new data
and insights into the biology and ecology of migratory species or external
factors disrupting their migration patterns. Research results must be
applicable to conservation measures to the benefit of migratory species. A licensed educational institution
must have accepted and approved the study as a Ph.D. or doctoral thesis. All
theses approved since the last Conference of Parts (COP8 November 2005) may
be submitted. Please find more details on our now
up-dated web page or contact Carlos Sanchez Oses. Applications for the award will be
accepted until 31 May 2008. For more information please visit http://www.cms.int/news/PRESS/nwPR2008/01_Jan/Thesis_award.htm |
|
|
Thank you for
reading this edition of the VDIC Newsletter. As always, we're here
to serve your development and distance learning needs. Please visit us! If you would like to
contribute, change your subscription details or no longer wish to receive
this newsletter, please send an email
to info@vdic.org.vn. We appreciate any
comments or suggestions. |
|
|
Email: info@vdic.org.vn |
Opening hours Monday through Friday |