The Internet has become an integral part of the delivery of quality education nearly worldwide, except in countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal that lack easy, cost-effective Internet access. Wanting to address this academic isolation and improve higher education, these four countries approached the World Bank for help. In response, the World Bank organized a South-South Knowledge Exchange with Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam to share information on how to establish and manage National Research and Education Networks (NRENs).

The government of Vietnam (GOV) wanted to reform its inadequate and corrupt social security administration in favor of a modern, fair, and transparent system. Although the government had outlined a strategy, it felt that the country did not have the institutional capacity to implement it, and so it looked to the World Bank for help.

The Government of Vietnam wanted to establish e-government procurement (eGP) using a public-private partnership (PPP) model to improve government transparency.  However, Vietnam lacked the know-how for contracting with service providers who could install the e-system. Additionally there were no adequate regulations in place to govern the system. Chile had initiated a successful e-government procurement system through a public-private partnership, offering Vietnam a tested approach for developing its own action plan.

To strengthen municipal infrastructure financing as part of a larger urban development plan, Vietnam participated in an exchange with Colombia. The Vietnamese learned about the institutional, legal, regulatory, and operational frameworks of municipal development funds (MDFs). Thus, they gained skills to develop policy recommendations for a legal framework and an implementation approach for an MDF-type entity for Vietnam.

Challenge

To ensure that Vietnam’s macroeconomic and structural policies could contribute to sustainable economic growth in the wake of the 2008-2009 global economic crisis, government officials participated in an exchange with Indonesia, Mexico, and Chile. Vietnamese officials learned how to institute practical reforms leading to better assessment of their banking system, and developed a policy reform agenda for preventative and corrective measures.

Challenge

To address disproportionately high rates of poverty among ethnic minorities, the Government of Vietnam planned several national assistance projects in the poorest regions of the country. Vietnam sought a knowledge exchange to learn how similar poverty issues have been approached in Brazil and Bolivia based on these countries’ success with community-driven development and rural alliances projects.

Challenge

The Government of Vietnam wanted to strengthen its delivery in rural water supply and sanitation projects by promoting the use of a results-based approach at the local government level. Through help from the World Bank, a Vietnamese delegation consisting of key government officials visited Indonesia to exchange knowledge and share experiences on the broad topic of results-based incentives for local governments to effectively and efficiently deliver infrastructure services.

Challenge