My Khe Beach in Danang City. Photo ivivu.com The institute had commissioned the study to understand the development and challenges this city faces.
Unlike the larger metropolises of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, which have much older infrastructure, Da Nang, in the centre of Vietnam, has the advantage of starting afresh, a press release from the institute said.
The terms ‘liveability’ and ‘vibrancy’ are some of the mantras that city leaders continue to refer to in motivating and guiding the thinking of their city officials.
“There is a constant challenge in being able to achieve a balance of both. Da Nang is one of the fastest-growing cities in Vietnam and was identified in our 2004 assessment of innovative city leaders in Asia,” the study said.
“It is this refreshing and innovative approach we wish to observe and comment about on this dynamic city,” Shanmuga Retnam, ED of AiCM, said.
Da Nang, nestled between the more popular Hoi An and cultural city of Hue, spans an area of 1,285 sq.km, with an estimated population of 1 million people in 2014, and aspires to reach 1.5 million people by 2020 and 2.5 million by 2030.
This is a qualitative perspective to focus on issues that are important to the people and contribute to their well-being.
The institute, operating as a social enterprise founded in Singapore, with representative presence in both Da Nang and Hanoi, carried out a comprehensive qualitative and quantitative research with the private and public sector within the city.
Asia Institute of City Management deployed faculty on the ground to interview stakeholders from industry from the Young Entrepreneurs Business Association, Hai Chau Business District Association, Da Nang Hi-tech Park, and Da Nang Institute of Social and Economic Development, in addition to Da Nang Incubation Hub, World Bank, UN Habitat, and the Da Nang University of Science and Technology.-VNA
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