Centre for Environment

International Projects

International Projects - Cooperative Research and Capacity Building Initiative

What is CRCI?
CRCI is a collaborative network of experts from three leading Australian Universities (the University of Tasmania, the University of Queensland and the University of Newcastle) and a range of Vietnamese Universities and Research Institutes. CRCI assembles teams to support development of evidence–based policy and governance in Vietnam through the adoption of an integrated, multi-sectoral approach to natural resource management and socio-economic development.

What are the goals of CRCI?
To assist Vietnam achieve world's best practice natural resource management through major cross-disciplinary research and development projects designed to:

  • Enhance the capacity of Vietnam's leaders and researchers to meet technical and cross-sector natural resource management demands.
  • Optimise Vietnam's national strategies through the generation of robust and relevant research findings for decision making.
  • Create innovative new knowledge on governance and implementation of project/program activities.
  • Help achieve cost effectiveness in the implementation of initiatives described in Vietnam's national strategies.
  • Strengthen linkages between Australian and Vietnamese Institutions through research collaboration, capacity building and knowledge exchange.

Who are the founding members of CRCI?
The CRCI group will draw on their existing strong networks and relationships to deliver research, education and training in the following key thematic areas that significantly support the Social Economic Development Plan of Vietnam. The three founding Australian universities are:

  • University of Tasmania
  • University of Queensland
  • University of Newcastle

Benefits for Vietnamese organisations include:

  • More direct involvement in targeted research and capacity building initiatives with Australian Universities;
  • Collaborative leadership in the design and delivery of short courses with Australian Universities
    Access to supervisors from Australian Universities for staff funded through Australian and Vietnam Government scholarships
  • Collaboration in cooperative research initiatives funded through Australian Aid, ACIAR, ADB, DIFID, USAID, GEF and other national and international organisations.

1. Agriculture and Food Security

  • Alternative & adaptive livelihoods
  • Agriculture strategic planning
  • Food safety and supply-chain management
  • "Green" production in agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture
  • Processing and value adding
  • Regulation of chemical and fertiliser use
  • Best practice and sustainability of production systems
  • Hydroclimatic forecasting – for cropping system optimization
  • Supply and use guidelines for agriculture, aquaculture

2. Natural Resources Management

  • Quantification and management of extreme event risk (e.g. flood, drought, fire, cyclones, storms)
  • Environmental modelling (e.g. hydrology, ecology, climate, land-use etc.)
  • Waste water management and planning
  • Water quality control and monitoring and associated public health risks
  • GIS and Remote Sensing (e.g. sensing technology from www.sense-t.org.au/)
  • Trans-boundary water management
  • Water security and best practice, sustainable water use
  • Water supply and alternate/innovative technologies
  • Water-energy-food nexus
  • Natural waterways - their function and sustainability
  • Coastal and marine ecosystems management
  • Protected area and biosphere management
  • Biodiversity assessment, protection and enhancement
  • Ecosystem services - their sustainability and valuation
  • Monitoring, modelling and assessing anthropogenic impacts
  • Wetland performance and management
  • Mangrove forest protection, restoration and management
  • Urban planning practices and development
  • Sustainable forest management – natural & production forests
  • Environmentally sensitive infrastructure development for a sustainable economy

3. Innovation in the Private and Public Sectors Creating Solutions to Large Scale

  • Climate resilience through adaptation and adoption of new technologies and techniques
  • Trade, Investment and Commercialization in Fisheries and Agriculture
  • Collaborative market and non-market solutions
  • Capability building – technical, operation and strategic
  • Institutional capacity building to underpin the innovation process
  • Coupling product to market chains
  • Value adding to products
  • Designing innovative public/ private sector initiatives'
  • Economic and policy methods and tools
  • Regulatory frameworks and approaches
  • Meeting international market standards (QA/QC)
  • New products and marketing approaches, including: Green products, Packaging and Market development.
  • The "Vietnam" brand as an icon
  • Sustainable Eco-tourism development

For further details on the CRCI contact Dr Susan Pepper:

Ph: +61 3 6226 2372
Email: susan.pepper@utas.edu.au