AsTW is an exchange program for students in ASEAN and East Asia. This year’s program is held from March 6, 2015 to March 20, 2015 by VNU in collaboration with Kyushu University, Japan with the participation of over 30 Japanese and ASEAN university students.
In his AsTW 2015 Program opening speech, VNU Vice President Nguyễn Kim Sơn said that AsTW program promoted mutual understanding among the ASEAN countries and helped to raise students’ awareness as well as equipped them with knowledge, understanding of the ASEAN’s issues and ASEAN+3’s cooperative relationship to effectively contribute to the peace and prosperity of the ASEAN Community in particular and Asia in general.

At the ceremony, ASEAN Secretary-General Lê Lương Minh said that in nearly 48 years since ASEAN’s foundation, the community had made significant progress in political, economic, social aspects...; the ASEAN Community had maintained a peaceful and stable environment in the region, as well as established strategic partnerships with such countries as Australia, Canada, China, European Union, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the United States.
2015 is the year when ASEAN officially ushers in the era of a unified ASEAN community. ASEAN Secretary-General highly appreciated VNU’s host role in the organizing of AsTW 2015. Mr. Lê Lương Minh noted that VNU was one of the 18 Vietnam’s central agencies participating in the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Pillar (ASCC). Therefore, VNU’s participation in the AsTW program would contribute to the affirming of its reputation, status and responsibility in implementing the activities in accordance with the Prime Minister’s directive. As a member of the AUN’s Executive Board, VNU’s hosting this AsTW will help reaffirm its autonomous and active role in implementing the cooperation activities within AUN, contributing to the development of a unified ASEAN community.
Representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, Ms. Lê Thị Thu, Deputy Director, Department of International Cooperation, extended her thanks to Kyushu University for initiating a highly meaningful activity for students from the ASEAN+3 Community. Ms. Lê Thị Thu said that the three ASEAN pillars, including the Political-Security, the Economic and the Socio-Cultural, had all been identifying priority areas and measures to implement in 2015. She believed that Vietnam’s being the host of AsTW 2015 would contribute to the enhancing of its international role and status aimed towards the building and developing of the country.