WESTPAC Advisory Group Meeting 2013 will take place in Bangkok, Thailand, 27-29 March 2013 with the kind host of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources of Thailand. The major objectives for the meeting are to i) brief on the status and challenges of WESTPAC; ii) brainstorm a road map for the future of WESTPAC; and iii) deliberate on the 25th Anniversary of WESTPAC 2014 and the 9th WESTPAC International Scientific Symposium in Vietnam 2014.

   The International Conference Bien Dong 2012 was held from Sept. 12-14, 2012 on the occasion of the 90th Anniversary of the Institute of Oceanography. Also on this occasion, the Institute of Oceanography was honoured to receive the First-class Independence Medal. Under the guidance and support from the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and many national and international sponsors, the conference was successfully organized.

   On Sept. 14, 2012, in Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa), the Institute of Oceanography (VNIO) hold a formal ceremony to celebrate its 90th Anniversary and receipt of First-class Independence Medal. Attending the ceremony were Prof. Chau Van Minh, member of the Party Central Committee, President of Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), Prof. Nguyen Dinh Cong, Vice President of VAST, VAST’s former leaders and representatives from different departments and institutes, as well as the former and present leaders and staff of VNIO.

   On the occasion of the 90th Anniversary of the Institute of Oceanography and the First-class Independence Medal Ceremony, the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology has given awards to 10 international scientists who have significant contributions to the international cooperation with Vietnam in marine science.