Enhancing knowledge for Vietnamese Small and Medium Enterprises

DNHN - On June 11 in Hanoi, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed to launch the online training project “Enhancing Knowledge for Vietnamese SMEs" between the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Vietnam Association of Small and Medium Enterprises.

To promote the implementation of the Politburo's policy on strengthening the training and development of entrepreneurs and enterprises, as stated in Resolution No. 41-NQ/TW dated October 10, 2023, on promoting the role of entrepreneurs in the new situation, and the Government's Action Plan to implement Resolution No. 41-NQ/TW issued in Resolution No. 66/NQ-CP dated May 9, 2024, the Ministry of Planning and Investment cooperated with the Vietnam Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to launch the online training project "Enhancing Knowledge for Vietnamese SMEs" on the platform www.smelearning.vn. The project aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of the Vietnamese SME community, thereby helping businesses operate methodically, efficiently, and sustainably. The online learning platform will provide SMEs with a convenient learning environment, gradually creating a "learning enterprise" culture within SMEs.

The project will be implemented nationwide from 2024 to 2035 and aims to achieve the following goals:

- Develop approximately 1,000 courses by 2025 and about 5,000 courses by 2035.

- Enable approximately 1.5 million businesses nationwide to access free, high-quality courses according to their development stages. Over 6,000 SME employees (business owners, managers, and workers) will participate in and benefit from the training courses.

The courses will be designed according to six stages of business development: (1) Business Idea, (2) Business Formation, (3) Business Operation, (4) Growth, (5) Maturity/Stability, and (6) IPO, following the "three-legged stool" principle in business development and growth: Sales and Marketing, Capital and Finance, Operations and Management. These three basic knowledge pillars will be deployed in parallel with enhanced skills training, new ideas, experiences, policy dissemination, and technology transfer tailored to each stage of business development. Each participating business is expected to receive a free account for learning.

The online training project “Enhancing Knowledge for Vietnamese SMEs" will be implemented through socialization. The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Vietnam Association of Small and Medium Enterprises are the co-hosting agencies. Participating organizations and sponsors will contribute in various forms, sharing digital content and services, and developing new technology platforms. The project encourages the participation of ministries, departments, provincial Planning and Investment Departments, central and local business associations, and experts to build and develop an effective learning platform for SMEs.

At the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Duy Dong expressed that the collaboration between the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Vietnam Association of Small and Medium Enterprises in launching the project will gradually enhance management skills and levels for Vietnamese enterprises, aiming towards professional, modern management standards according to international norms. This will create a strong business force that contributes increasingly to the country's economic development, contributing to the successful implementation of Politburo's Resolution 41-NQ/TW and the Government's Resolution No. 66/NQ-CP.

To ensure effective project implementation, the Deputy Minister also requested that ministries, localities, associations, and business support organizations widely inform the business community to register for participation. Localities are encouraged to actively collaborate with associations to promote continuous learning and improve business management skills in the new context. The Vietnam Association of SMEs is urged to actively collaborate with sponsors and businesses to mobilize resources to implement the project according to the objectives, directions, and legal regulations, as well as the commitments in the Memorandum of Understanding.

Mr. Nguyen Van Than, Chairman of the Vietnam Association of SMEs, acknowledged: "The 'Enhancing Knowledge for Vietnamese SMEs' online training project is meticulously designed in compliance with the legal processes based on the Politburo's Resolution 41 and the Government's Resolution 66. It aims to promote the role of entrepreneurs and support the urgent needs of most businesses today. The association conducted thorough surveys on the needs of member businesses, developing detailed, specific programs to meet the diverse needs of various business groups, from production and business to services. Through the online training project, businesses will gain market knowledge and connect directly with potential customers, addressing the need to enhance internal capabilities and streamline the supply chain.

Additionally, with the collaboration of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, SMEs will quickly access state policies and have the opportunity to provide feedback during policy development. This ensures the project conveys the important views and spirit of the Party and State towards the business community, particularly SMEs, “recognizing them as the builders, creators, developers, and protectors of the nation in the new context".

Mr. Nguyen Kim Hung, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Association of SMEs and Director of the Vietnam Institute of Business Administration and Digital Economy, added: "We hope that as the project is implemented today, it will be shared by newly established businesses and those already established, so that SME learning can provide accounts to each business. I want to emphasize that all businesses will learn completely free on this platform. Sharing data like this will enable SME learning to assist businesses from the very first steps of their operation. This will help spread the feasibility and success of the project. We have provided up to 8 convenient tools for each business, and the Ministry will also gain extensive information about long-term business activities on this platform."

The project "Enhancing Knowledge for Vietnamese SMEs" is expected to positively impact the learning culture within businesses, improve the quality of human resources, especially business leaders and managers.

Bao Bao