Vietnam One Health University Network (VOHUN) Training Programs in Vietnam

The network brought together 18 medical, veterinary, nursing, and public health universities/faculties to promote and develop the One Health concept in Vietnam. VOHUN's main objective is to develop the response capacity in Vietnam to combat emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, including zoonoses. The network coordinates other universities, institutions, and NGOs to contribute to promoting One Health for humans, animals, and the environment. VOHUN's vision is to support a National One Health network to prevent emerging zoonoses and other infectious diseases. The network's mission is to use the strengths of Vietnam's universities to build a One Health workforce with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to prevent emerging and re-emerging zoonoses and other infectious diseases. VOHUN's long-term objective is to help develop Vietnam's capacity to implement a One Health approach through training and research at member universities in order to contribute to the development of a new One Health community. VOHUN's short-term objectives include assessing and defining the One Health Workforce through planning and policy communication with Government counterparts, educating and training students to be the One Health workforce in the future, educating and training staff and specialists from government agencies, the current One Health Workforce, developing and promoting the capacity of university staff and researchers to train the current and future OH workforce, and developing VOHUN to become a sustainable institution for long-term development of Vietnam's One Health Workforce. VOHUN promotes the integration and use of the 7 One Health core competencies and 8 technical competencies defined by the USAID-funded RESPOND project into a number of current or planned One Health training programs. These programs include International Master of Public Health - One Health Oriented, Master of Public Health - Environmental Health Oriented, Master of Veterinary Public Health, Zoonoses training modules, One Health and Health Programs, One Health and Eco Health programs, One Health field-based training for veterinary and health practitioners, and One Health field-based training for students. VOHUN has achieved remarkable results throughout 7 years of efforted development. The network has trained 200 lecturers, including 122 human health lecturers and 78 animal health lecturers, and 100 staff, including 50 health staff and 50 veterinary staff. Additionally, VOHUN has established 12 One Health student clubs with 777 students, including 486 health students and 291 veterinary students. The One Health concept is a worldwide strategy for expanding interdisciplinary collaboration and communication in all aspects of health care for humans, animals, and the environment. One Health competencies are the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required by each member of a One Health team for health problem-solving. These competencies include 15 modules: 7 core competency modules and 8 technical modules. The core competencies are fundamental for supporting the technical modules as they provide the skills and knowledge for applying technical expertise in a One Health context. The 7 core competency modules include Collaboration and Partnership, Communication and Informatics, Leadership and Management, Public Health, Veterinary Public Health, Environmental Health, and Fundamentals of Infectious Disease. These modules are interdependent and provide the foundation for the technical modules. The 8 technical modules include Infectious Disease Management, Zoonoses, One Health and Health Programs, One Health and Eco Health, One Health Field-Based Training for Veterinary and Health Practitioners, One Health Field-Based Training for Students, and Behavior Change.