Representatives from DONREs HCMC, CanTho, Hau Giang, Dong, Nai, DOST Bin Duong from the Universities Can Tho and An Giang and from Research Instittutes ITB, SIWRR were introduced to the concept of endocrine disruptors and their analysis by YES-assay. Various presentations and in depth demonstrations in the laboratory led to an understanding of the effect of hormone like substances on humans and their possible analysis with YES-assay. The YES-assay reflects the estrogenicity of a water sample in form of a sum parameter.

The two day workshop on data integration served to discuss data exchange, data standards, data hierarchies and last but not least data integration into the Information System. One participant from each German WISDOM partner institution has been present. We were furthermore very fortunate to have the Vietnamese coordinators of the WISDOM project, Dr. Tri and Mrs. Long from SIWRR, as well as Dr. Pham (Director of SRHMC), Dr. Thanh (MOST), and Mr. Binh (Vast Girs) with us. The meeting was kindly hosted by GFZ.

Vietnam has a long-standing and rich media landscape, especially in the field of print media. Nearly all provinces have at least one daily newspaper, keeping people up to date on social, cultural, political and economical affairs of their province and beyond. Moreover, local newspapers represent a valuable source of information for researchers. The daily local press offers information on current events, new policies and projects and gives insights into public debates and discourses. Besides, newspaper archives provide data on past events and therefore offer rich opportunities for historical work.

The International Conference on GeoInformatics for Spatial-Infrastructure Development in Earth & Allied Sciences (GIS-IDEAS) was scheduled in Hanoi, Vietnam, 4-6 December 2008. Trần Thái Bình from GIRS-VAST, was giving a lecture about the WISDOM Project on GIS-IDEAS conference.

On November 09th, 2009, Prof. Ehlers from the Center of Development Research ZEF / Bonn University visited the WISDOM Partner Institute Mekong Delta Development Research Institute MDI and gave a lecture on “Nature and Society: Global Change and Rural Development as a Challenge for Interdisciplinary Research”.

Pham Bach Viet from the GIS and Remote Sensing Research Center of the Vietnamese Academy of Sciences and Technology is currently supporting the German WISDOM team with remote sensing data analyses and the preparation of a validation campaign for January. Furthermore, Sven Genschik from the Center for Development Studies, ZEF, is currently at the DFD of DLR to receive training in the fields of spatial data integration, GIS and Webapplications. In December a hydrologist from the Southern Insitute of Water Ressources Research will spend time at DLR to get a deeper insight into the Information System.

A three day workshop has been held at CTU in the Mekong Delta. 20 experts from the field of Vulnerability and Climate Change discussed topics such as Vulnerability Assessment of Delta Regions, Vulnerability Indicators, Coping Capacity Mechanisms, Vulnerability Reduction Strategies, and Disaster Resilience. The Workshop brought together specific scientists and PhD students of the WISDOM project with experts from countries such as Australia, Japan, Great Britain, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and UN agencies. For detailed information about the outcome of the Workshop, EWG leader Jörn Birkmann at UNU can be contacted. The outcome of the discussions will be fed to the next EWG meeting on Vulnerability, which will be held 2009 in Bonn.

During numerous visits at MOST, MONRE, MARD, MOT and related science instiutes in Hanoi is was assessed, which kind of data and information decision makers and managers would like to see incorporated into the WISDOM Information System. The goal is to create a planning relevant tool for decision makers, which will be installed and also used in Vietnam at a later stage in the project. Therefore it is of utmost importance to assess User Needs in the country. Furthermore, partners and other interesting science collaborators in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as DOSTs, DONREs and DARDs in the Mekong Delta were visited.