Australia and the World Bank announce small grant program to further support Vietnam’s governance

Date 18 November, 2013 - The Australian Embassy and the World Bank in Vietnam today jointly launched a new round of the Vietnam Blended Learning Program small grant program with a focus on strengthening good governance in Vietnam.

The Vietnam Blended Learning Program aims to support Vietnamese local institutions in developing knowledge management activities and training programs which ultimately contribute to more efficient local and central governance, through the use of innovative learning technologies and blended approaches.

This is the seventh time these grants are on offer. Each grantee can receive up to USD 30,000 for their learning program. To date, the Vietnam Blended Learning Program has provided grants to 18 recipient organisations, enabling them to facilitate learning to 1,278 people.

Supporting improved governance for Vietnam has been a program pillar of both the World Bank and Australian Government for many years. The World Bank and Australia are focused on addressing fundamental imbalances in access to information, strengthening civic participation, enhancing accountability and reducing corruption.

Through the implementation of the small grant program, Vietnamese learners will be connected to local and international experts and their professional networks, establishing collaborative communities of practice to exchange knowledge and information. The program has also contributed to building research and training capacity of local institutions’ staff.

The program will be managed by the Vietnam Development Information Center (VDIC), a facility of the World Bank.

The Vietnam Blended Learning Program is now calling for expressions of interest from institutions. Information on the program and the Expression of Interest template are available at www.vdic.org.vn

World Bank contact: Ms. Nguyen Hoai Linh, e-mail: [email protected], Tel: +84-4-39378703

Australian Aid contact: Mr. Nguyen Van Thuan, e-mail: [email protected], Tel: + 84-4-3774 0175