PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Challenges

In this 21st century, the rapid development of information and communications technologies leads to the emergence worldwide of a knowledge society with training, research and technology as its key resources. Therefore, the attractiveness and development of Switzerland as well as its political and economic relevance will depend upon its international achievements in the three areas of education, research and technology development.

Objectives

The STAKE-VN project is an initiative of HES-GE to establish a "high-tech" platform contributing to the technological development of Vietnam. The project has a two-fold mission: promote the activities of Swiss small and medium sized enterprises (SME) in Vietnam and establish an applied research and development (aR&D) institute capable on the one hand of supporting those SMEs in their endeavors and, on the other hand, of providing professional training specialization to vietnamese (and foreign) students focused on the use of modern technologies and the application of quality standards established in industrialized countries. Specific know-how and competences will be provided by a consortium of scientists and teachers from several Swiss universities of applied sciences as well as Swiss and European industry experts.

In partnership with a public university well established in Vietnam, the planned institute will be delivering higher professional training complementing the local curriculum and based upon the Swiss university of applied sciences system (HES) to students (e.g. bachelor and master holders) as well as foreign and local companies. Training programs will be focused on practical applications and will be articulated in modules of six to twelve months.

The institute will also execute aR&D projects in partnership with the local and Swiss industry. Moreover, the institute will undertake high value-added mandates on behalf of foreign companies wishing to adapt their products and services to the Vietnamese market or improve operational productivity through local subcontracting.

HES-Ge and CCSO: HES-Geneva enrolls approximately 3'000 students to whom it offers 27 fields of study accredited by the Federal Confederation. For more information see www.hes-ge.ch. In addition to their main training mission, the universities of applied sciences develop close relationships with business and industry, in particular SMEs facing new technological and economic challenges and to whom they provide support contributing to improved competitiveness. Among these new missions, the development of new markets and the implementation of innovative co-engineering processes with emerging countries are priority and strategic objectives. The CCSO, as a springboard for innovation, is an organization contributing to business creation and optimization of their operating processes. The CCSO, which comprises engineers and economists with extensive field expertise, facilitates the relations between the universities of applied sciences and the business community and assists the latter in developing and implementing its projects.

Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh (VNU-HCM) is a government-accredited university that was established in 1995 through the merger of eight universities. VNU-HCM has approximately 2'300 employees, including 1'500 faculty. It enrolls in the order of 57'000 full and part-time students and 2'000 post-graduates. VNU offers over 50 bachelor-level fields of study, 60 masters and 70 doctorate 
programs. Having the ambition of becoming the most prestigious research and teaching institution in Vietnam, VNU is currently building with government support a modern 644-hectare campus. Through a partnership with the EPFL (ENAC), VNU operates a common laboratory for natural resources and environment management (IER) that is sponsored by the Swiss Development Agency (DDC/DEZA). For more information about VNU, see www.vnuhcm.edu.vn.

edics, the Education Development and Investment Company of Switzerland, is a Switzerland-based limited liability company providing consulting, investment and financial advisory services to the international education and training industry. edics' mission is to develop cross-border education business ventures and to invest in the international education and training markets. Moreover, the Company promotes the export of Swiss educational know-how through initiatives based on quality and ethics, thereby contributing to sustainable human capital development. For more information see www.edics.ch.

Industrial partners: several companies from the machine and mechatronics industry have already expressed an interest in the proposed platform. Among them are Charmilles (Georg Fischer group, machines), Volotek (electronics, micro-systems), Jean Gallay (aeronautics), CADCAMation (computer science and R&D), GOM AG (optical camera technology), ELCA, BUEHLER AG etc…

Other academic partners: well recognized institutions such as the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, K.U. Leuven (NL), Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen (RWTH)'s Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) (Germany) and Pohang University (Korea) appear to be interested in joining the consortium within an expanded "intelligent management system" project such STEP-NC (under the 5th Framework Program for R&D of the European Union. 

The project's training component will be set up as a start-up company which, upon completing its initial design and development phase, will be co-financed by Vietnam National University and other investors for its implementation and early operations. The development phase will consist of activities such as concept design (content creation through a HES consortium so as to mobilize the best expertise in each field of study), market and feasibility studies, financing model development, preparation and negotiation of a memorandum of understanding among partners, action plan preparation, etc. Applied research and development activities as well as mandates will be directly financed either by mandates or support funds available to innovative projects.

The project development costs, including the preparation of a financing plan, are budgeted at approximately CHF 200'000. Approximately 25% of that amount is covered by the project originators and 50% by public sources. The remainder has yet to be mobilized.

The total project costs covering its development, implementation and cash flow needs until its breaks even are estimated at CHF 2-3 million. This includes the infrastructure and equipments to be provided by project partners as equity contributions.

Stake-Vn-Project.doc