The development of a contextualised set of evaluation criteria for studying internationalisation at a Vietnamese public university : a dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand

The aim of this thesis is to explore the development of a contextualised set of evaluation criteria for studying internationalisation at a Vietnamese public university. The literature on internationalisation has so far paid little attention to Vietnam, a context which is at an early stage in conceptualising a plan for its internationalisation. This thesis, therefore, will assist Vietnamese universities in this effort in order to become a part of the global higher education system. Having access to a set of relevant evaluation criteria will not only enable them to better understand their current level of internationalisation but also inform their future internationalisation strategy. The research process was supported by two conceptual frameworks: practical participation evaluation and utilization-focused evaluation approaches. A mixture of qualitative and quantitative research methods was employed to conduct the three-phase development of the contextualised set of evaluation criteria. A collaborative partnership was also developed with the institutional stakeholders from a key university for which the set of criteria was contextualised for evaluating the internationalisation process. The findings from this study indicated that the development of a contextualised set of evaluation criteria for internationalisation at a Vietnamese public university was informed by a complexity of contextual factors. In particular, the domestic-focused nature of institutional internationalisation was found to be shaped not only by national economic and political rationales but also the institutional structure of single focus on teaching. The complexity was further expanded to (national) cultural relevance, institutional purposes for the evaluation, and the institutional mono-disciplinary structure when it came to the evaluation of that internationalisation. As a result of the study, a modelling process for developing a contextualised set of criteria for internationalisation at Vietnamese public universities was established. Insights into the complexity of the process for contextualising a set of evaluation criteria to study internationalisation at a Vietnam university also led to implications and recommendations for institutional stakeholders at the key university in the study (policy implementers and senior leaders), other universities, and policy makers

Effect of matrix constituents on the determination of plutonium and americium in bone

2019 Summer.Includes bibliographical references.There are numerous methods available in the literature for separating and analyzing radionuclides of interest from an array of environmental matrices. The quality of these methods can be affected by the stable elements that are commonly found in many of these samples. The presence of such interfering constituents can result in incomplete separation of the radioisotopes of interest as well as a reduced rate of recovery. This is especially the case when complex matrices such as samples of bone and bone ash are analyzed. Plutonium and americium tend to concentrate in bone, they are therefore often referred to as bone seekers. They accumulate in actively metabolizing portions of bones of mammals including humans. It is therefore extremely important to study and evaluate the accumulation of these radionuclides in human bone by analyzing bone samples. However, calcium, which is present in high concentrations in the hydroxyapatite that constitutes the bone, as well as sodium and potassium, have the potential to strongly affect the efficacy of radiochemical separation methods. The objective of this research is to investigate the influence of the major and minor elemental constituents present in bone on the affinity of plutonium and americium for a variety of commercial extraction chromatographic resins

Evaluating the Heterogeneous Effect of Firm Risk on Firm Value

Purpose- This paper aims to investigate the effect of firm risk on the firm value to see how the firm value is changing when the risk level is changed. Our result indicates that a higher level of risk can reduce firm value.  Design/Methodology- We apply a Bayesian causal technique for a sample data set of US public firms. The causal approach helps us to focus on the reliable and unbiased results instead of the association-based findings. Findings- The results show a negative effect of risk on the firms’ value for the sample data. However, we investigate the potential effect of the risk across the distribution of the firm value. We witness the more substantial effect of risk on firms with a higher value. Practical Implications- Helps firms to evaluate their risk and its effect, so they can adjust their decisions and take actions to reduce the undesired effects of firm risk

Effectiveness evaluation of a marine protected area in Vietnam : the Cu Lao Cham MPA case study

Planning, implementing and managing MPA not only requires attentions to biological issues which influence the performance of MPA but also to social and economic aspects that can greatly affect the outcome of MPA implementation. This study used data from logbook program over 4 years and face-to-face interview to explore the effectiveness of Cu Lao Cham MPA which is one of 4 MPAs in Vietnam through the performance of ecological (CPUE), economic (income from fishing) and social (perception to the MPA objectives) indicators. Result of study has indicated linkages between ecological, socio and economic issues which often give an insight to direct and immediate feedbacks to MPA and despite the various of problems in management of Cu Lao Cham MPA such as poaching, poor and ineffective enforcement, sustainability…., the performance of ecological, economic and social indicators in this study showed that Cu Lao Cham MPA has achieved a significant amount of success and is one of the few well-managed marine protected areas in Vietnam. This study has also identified a number of indications that the coastal fishery of Cu Lao Cham could be on a transition towards becoming a viable, sustainable characteristic of better-established tropical marine protected areas

Impact of Economic Freedom and Corruption Perceptions Index on Foreign Direct Investment in Vietnam

Foreign direct investment is an important source of investment capital that is indispensable to contribute to each country's total investment capital. FDI attraction has always been of special interest to governments in both developed and developing countries. The empirical method was employed on a secondary time series data set during the period 1999-2018 to determine the impact of economic freedom index and corruption perceptions index on foreign direct investment in Vietnam by using the linear approach. The empirical results show that the relationship between corruption perceptions index and foreign direct investment is a positive sign at a 1% significant level. The effect of economic freedom index on foreign direct investment has a positive effect at a 5% significant level

Effects of Mg Al Alloy Powder on the Combustion and Infrared Emission Characteristics of the Mg Al PTFE Viton Composition

Metal-Fluorocarbon compositions are the pyrotechnic formulations which have been widely used in infrared decoy flares to protect aerial targets from infrared guide missile seekers. In this work, the effect of Mg-Al alloy powder (i.e. the particle size and the content) on the combustion and the infrared emission characteristics (i.e. the infrared emission distribution and the infrared radiance) of the pyrotechnic composition based on Mg-Al alloy, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and Viton rubber are described. The results show that the high burning rate (with the values of 4.0 mm.s-1 to 10.0 mm.s-1, depend on the compression density) of this composition is achieved with a high content of Mg-Al alloy or when using fine Mg-Al alloy particles as well as coarse PTFE particles. On the other hand, the infrared emission radiance (in the wavelength range of 2.5 μm to 5.0 μm) of Mg-Al/PTFE/Viton composition reaches maximum values (i.e. 17.7 W.cm-2.Sr-1 and 21.0 W.cm-2.Sr-1 with the size of Mg-Al particles are 20 μm and 120 μm, respectively) at 60 wt% Mg-Al alloy. Finally, the Mg-Al/PTFE/Viton composition has a similar combustion and emission characteristics as the Mg/PTFE/Viton composition

Automatic detection of pavement crack feature on images taken from specialized road surface survey vehicle

Approaching to PDCA (Plan - Do - Check - Take Action) in management of infrastructure asset requires digital transformation, sufficient data and strong database supporting management, analysis as well as creation of data-driven decision making tools. For pavements, data including condition indicators such as roughness and rutting depth are collected automatically during the survey vehicle travelling. However, pavement crack ratio and crack features of pattern and segmentation have not been detected by the system but manual in the case in Vietnam. The paper presents result of research on algorithm of statistic machine learning model in AI applying deep learning algorithm to automatically detect crack feature on pavement photos for enhancement of the performance and productivity of current survey technology. In the research, a deep architecture using convolutional neural network (CNN) for crack segmentation on gray scale images has been developed. The results show the CNN model for crack segmentation is better than other methods using traditional digital processing such as the Gabor filters or threshold and machine learning such as Adaboost

Desarrollo de la presión del sujetador: Sistema de medición con aire y sensor de presión

Introduction: This paper is the result of the research “Development of bra pressure measuring system using air pressure sensor” developed in the Ha Noi University of Science and Technology in 2019.  Proplem: The pressure of the bra on the human body affects the comfort of the wearer and the wearer's health. Therefore, bra pressure is one of the most important parameters taken into account when designing and manufacturing bras. Objective: To determine the pressure value of a bra, it is necessary to use a suitable pressure measuring device. Methodology: The device operates on the principle of resitive gas pressure sensor, with 8 measuring channels. The system is controlled by the computer via programming software in the Visual C language, measuring the pressure of the shirt on the position on the curved surface of the human body. Pressure values ​​and timed charts are displayed on the computer. The measuring device was tested with GE Druck DPI 610 pressure generator.  Results: Test results showed that the device has a sensitivity of 0.01 kPa, measuring range from 0.1to 10 kPa and an accuracy of 0.01 kPa. Conclusion: This measurement system is important for objectively assessing the pressure of the bra on the wearer.  Originality: This paper presents the results of research and design of the PB228 system when measuring the pressure of the bra on the wearer's body in static, dynamic and static-dynamic combined states.  Limitations: The accuracy of the device only applies in standard condition

Les techniques des produits dérivés et leurs champs d'application au café du vietnam

The main objective of the thesis is to find solutions to improve the effectiveness of risk management for Vietnamese coffee stakeholders through trading on commodity exchanges. Like any agriculture products being subject to an important international exchange, coffee is known as a price significantly fluctuated product, which impacts not only the profitability and sustainability of producing entities, but also the export value of the major producing countries. The issue of management of price risk and implicitly, which relates to the appropriateness of the derivatives usage as hedging tools are central in fact.In order to understand how derivatives are applicable in the circumstances of Vietnamese coffee producers, the thesis focused primarily on studying about how to organize the coffee supply chain in Vietnam and foreseeing whether more intervention from intermediaries (traders, industrial shopkeepers) – before the product arrives the consumer – causes any effects. Each participant may face many risks, which has a direct or indirect impact on the product sale price. Producers are exposed to the risk of falling prices while intermediaries (processors or “simple” traders) are exposed to the risk of reducing their intermediation margin. In fact, they buy the product to resell but the two activities (selling and buying) are not done in a simultaneous way. From this point of view, the risk level to which they are exposed is usually significant in comparison with their commercial margin. The thesis tried to define which the most appropriate solutions should be taken by Vietnamese coffee producers in order to protect themselves against short-term unfavorable prices. This led us to consider the relevance of domestic as well as international coffee futures markets.For exporting products like coffee, there are two types of market which coexist: The Future Market (or organized market) - such as ICE Europe in London which deals Robusta coffee, ICE Futures U.S with Arabica coffee, CME and CBOT, the oldest and most active commodity exchange in the United States, and the Forward Market which is in India, China and Vietnam. There’s no better market since each type has its advantages and disadvantages. However, based on the previous research of commodity and finance exchange, we could estimate its respective interests for the Vietnamese economy leading to the possibility of optimizing only to the risk management function. Therefore, its roles in information dissemination and the implementation of storage policies may be unavoidable in some cases. According to this evaluation, the thesis also aims to propose some methods of improving the price risk management and storage policies in the Vietnamese coffee sector.La thèse a pour but principal de trouver des solutions permettant l’amélioration de l’efficacité de la couverture des risques chez les intervenants vietnamiens du café à travers la négociation sur les bourses de marchandises. Comme toute matière première faisant l’objet d’un échange international important et sujette à une financiarisation de ses marchés, le café connait des fluctuations de prix considérables qui ne sont pas sans conséquence sur la rentabilité et la pérennité des entités productrices, mais également sur les recettes d’exportation des principaux pays producteurs. La question de la gestion du risque de prix et implicitement, celle portant sur la pertinence de l’usage des produits dérivés comme outil de « hedging », sont en effet centrales.Pour tenter d’appréhender dans quelle mesure les produits dérivés sont applicables au cas des producteurs de café vietnamiens, cette thèse s’est attachée en premier lieu à mieux comprendre comment s’organise le circuit de commercialisation du café au Vietnam et à déterminer si l’intervention accrue des intermédiaires (négociants, commerçants industriels) -avant que le produit transformé n’arrive entre les mains du consommateur- fait sens. Chacun de ces différents intervenants est exposé à un nombre important de risques, ayant un impact direct ou indirect sur le prix auquel sera vendue commercialement la matière physique. Les producteurs sont naturellement exposés au risque de baisse des prix, tandis que les intermédiaires, qu’ils soient transformateurs ou « simples » négociants sont exposés au risque d’une réduction de leur marge d’intermédiation. Ils achètent en effet le produit pour le revendre mais la simultanéité des opérations est rare. L’ampleur du risque de prix auquel ils sont assujettis est, de ce point de vue, le plus souvent considérable par rapport à sa marge commerciale. Cette thèse a essayé en cela de déterminer quelles étaient les solutions les plus appropriées pour les producteurs vietnamiens afin de se protéger à court terme contre une évolution défavorable des prix. Ceci nous a amené à considérer la pertinence du recours aux marchés à terme nationaux du café, comme celle de l’utilisation des produits dérivés offerts sur les places boursières internationales.Pour les produits d’exportation et notamment le café, des marchés internationaux de type « Futures » (ou organisés) comme celui de Londres qui traite le café Robusta ou du Chicago Mercantile Exchange – CME, coexistent en effet avec des bourses de marchandises ou des marchés à terme, de type « Forward » n’ayant pas le périmètre des précédents, en Inde, en Chine mais également au Vietnam. Le recours à l’un ou l’autre de ces marchés ne procède pas d’une analyse évidente, chacun ayant leurs avantages et leurs contraintes propres. Nous appuyant sur la littérature existant sur l’utilité des marchés à terme commerciaux et financiers, nous évaluons ainsi leurs intérêts respectifs pour l’économie vietnamienne. On ne saurait de ce point de vue réduire la fonction des marchés organisés de matières premières à la seule fonction de gestion des risques, tant leurs rôles dans la diffusion de l’information et la mise en oeuvre de stratégies de stockage peut, dans certains cas, être incontournables. Sur la base de cette évaluation, cette thèse a également pour ambition de proposer quelques voies d’amélioration de la gestion du risque de prix et les politiques de stockage au sein de la filière caféicole vietnamienne