Vietnam is facing a number of difficult decisions as it begins to adjust to a world in which textile quotas are removed, China begins to cool its economy, and Vietnam has to prepare for its eventual entry into the WTO. In spite of strong growth in its GDP and exports, there are several issues including poorly chosen public investments, a weak financial system, low technical or managerial standards in many firms, and regional inequalities that could undermine longer-term growth. International rankings suggest that Vietnam has not done enough to foster a policy environment conducive to economic growth; indeed in the most recent World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index rankings, Vietnam fell seventeen places and was leapfrogged by ASEAN laggards Indonesia and the Philippines. The public discussion of these issues has often been marked by special interests more interested in strengthening their positions than in a clear statement of the facts and alternatives. This has created a certain degree of misunderstanding about the implications of various policy options and some murkiness in Vietnam’s policies, which are at times inconsistent if not conflicting. It is hard to give the state a direct commanding role in the economy and also promote small and medium private firms and at the same time become an attractive location for competitive foreign investment.

One response to these problems is to set out clearly and briefly to a high-level group of officials the actual situation confronting Vietnam and the options at their disposal as they work to balance various pressures and interests. The proposal here is for a four-day intensive training course to be held in mid-December of 2004 using both Vietnamese and foreign experts. The course will emphasize discussion and dialogue rather than one-way lecturing.

The Fulbright Economics Teaching Program (FETP) and the Vietnam Program at the Kennedy School of Government (Harvard) are experienced in organizing training courses for mid-career to senior officials. Executive education at this high level requires a sophisticated knowledge of Vietnam, its economy, and the political economy of decision-making as well as an ability to place issues in Vietnam within regional and global contexts.

The executive education program proposed here is an ideal vehicle to showcase the Japan Fund for Public Policy Training (JFPPT) initiative of the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) by demonstrating its commitment to training of the highest quality in public policy formulation and management.