The University Support to Environmental Planning And Management in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam (USEPAM)

Implementation time: 11/2002 – 11/2004
Funding agency: The World Resource Institute
Implementation units: Hanoi Agricultural University, Lao National University, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Roskilde University Center, University of Copenhagen

“The University Support to Environmental Planning And Management in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam” project is actually the Third Phase of a project effort initiated by the World Resource Institute some 6-7 years ago called REPSI project (Resource Policy Support Initiative)

2. General objective

• Strengthen the capacity of selected universities in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam through which to implement multidisciplinary training and conduct applied research to support environmental planning and management activities.
• Capacity building of selected universities in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam to assist Government officials in developing work methods and programs for environmental monitoring and assessment.
• Improve cross-border exchange of knowledge in multidisciplinary environmental training, research and development of methods for environmental planning and management.

3. Specific general goals

• Develop and strengthen the framework of a multidisciplinary network curriculum on environmental management planning, National University of Laos, University of Agriculture, Hanoi, and Royal University of PhomPenh;
• Collaborating to develop methods, data, develop abstracts and write scientific reports from case studies in collaboration with Environmental Facilitation, Peace and Stability (EPSF) projects is different;
• Develop in-service training courses on environmental monitoring and assessment for state agencies;
• Nominate systems and methods for environmental assessment and monitoring in the provinces, and cooperate in developing and testing those methods with government agencies of the three countries;
• Establishing a network of activities to exchange environmental information and expertise between sponsored universities and agencies and projects in the region, including AIT and the CAULES project (funded by ESPF to connect universities) Can Tho University and Aarhus University);
• Cross-country exchange, review of training programs, research results, methods and models of cooperation developed in the project.

4. Specific objectives of Hanoi University of Agriculture

• Building the framework of environmental training program for Hanoi University of Agriculture.
• Developing and implementing a number of applied research projects in the field of environment.
• Capacity development for staff for Hanoi University of Agriculture.
• Building an environmental information system (EIS)
• Develop a program framework and conduct training for some in-service courses on EIS
• Building a network to exchange environmental information
• Building a strategic model of cooperation between universities and state agencies.

5. Agencies involved in the project

• In Vietnam: Hanoi University of Agriculture
• In Laos: National University of Laos
• In Cambodia: Royal University of Phnom Penh
• In Denmark: Roskilde University Center, University of Copenhagen and other agencies in the region and in Denmark.