International organizations such as UNICEF, WHO, FAO, NGOs… have always recognized the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) as an important partner in health care for the Vietnamese people. NIN has cooperation with over 20 international and regional research institutes and universities, such as Wageningen University, SEAMEO – TROPMED…
Since the foundation, NIN has had many wonderful international friends. One of those is Professor M Autrét (France), who used to be head of Chemistry Department of Pasteur Institute in Hanoi before 1945 and the author of Indochina food composition table in 1941. He used to work for a long time as head of Nutrition Section of FAO, therefore he had lots of contact and experience in the field. He was very attracted with Applied Nutrition and has advised NIN a lot in the early age of the institute, including the advocacy for project PAM 2651. He has given NIN’s library his precious book collection. Professor J.Vuylsteke is a pediatrician and was the head of nutrition department of Tropical Medicine Institute of the Royal Belgium in Anvers. He is a great professor – very active and enthusiastic. He has come to Vietnam many times, going to the field, contributing to the publication of “Applied Nutrition” – a proceeding of the International conference in applied nutrition held in Vietnam from 14-16th of May 1986. Mr. L. Audat was the representative of UNICEF in Hanoi at that time, who provided great supports for NIN and Professor Tu Giay in successful organizing the international conference in applied nutrition in 1986.
Nutrition Department at Wageningen University, especially Prof. J. Hautvast and Prof C. West have made a great contribution in nutrition program in Vietnam. Prof J. Hautvast has helped NIN to develop the project on “Capacity building for the implementation of National Plan of Action for Nutrition” and the project of “Development of Nutrition Communication Center”. Prof. C.West - a professor in chemistry, who is very famous with research in Vitamin A, has provided great technical support for Vitamin A program in Vietnam.
Prof. Nguyen Van Chuyen – a Vietnamese oversea in Japan –conducted a number of studies in metabolic disorders at that time and released in the Vietnam – Japan Nutrition Conference in September 1997. NIN library is now keeping 2 precious book collections of Prof Autrét and Prof. Nguyen Van Chuyen. Prof. S. Yamamoto and Prof. M. Kawakami are Japanese professors, who have had good research cooperation for years and helped to train a number of PhD for NIN and Vietnam.
There have been many other international friends, who have made great contribution for capacity building of NIN. Dr Rainer Gross and Dr W. Schultink have come to Vietnam many times to conduct training for Master students and others in Vietnam as well as Vietnamese students studying in Jakarta. Dr B. Senemaud has assisted NIN in post-graduate training program in community nutrition. And so many others to name.