The South East Asia One Health University Network (SEAOHUN) has been initiated by the RESPOND project within the EPT program of the USAID. A first meeting was held in Bangkok from 24-26 May 2011 where 16 faculties of public health, medicine and veterinary medicine in four countries Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. An agreement was reached among the Southeast Asian faculty to establish a One Health University Network with their commitment. It was also proposed to have such a network, but at national level in each participating country.
In Vietnam, the discussion at a first meeting among Vietnamese focal group member (2 June 2011) and a second one between focal group members and USAID/Vietnam but also RESPOND team from Bangkok (29 June 2011) showed that a Vietnam One Health University Network (VOHUNet) can be established in this in this perspective. The purpose of the network is to promote the One Health approach for training and research at universities in Vietnam. To fulfill this purpose, a large participation from key universities dealing with One Health is needed with support of stakeholders from ministries and civil societies.
On 22 November 2011, in Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province, the Hanoi School of Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, and Hanoi University of Agriculture, with support from EPT/RESPOND, organized the first national workshop of the Vietnam One Health University Network (VOHUN). The workshop participants agreed that the establishment of VOHUN was necessary, and VOHUN will be a forum for academic staff and managers in the field of human and animal health. Prof. Le Vu Anh, Dean of Hanoi School of Public Health, announced the establishment of VOHUN, in which there are 16 participating medical, public health, veterinary, and nursing universities. Three focal institutions are Hanoi School of Public Health (HSPH), Hanoi Medical University (HMU), and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hanoi University of Agriculture (HUA). To coordinate this network, HSPH will host and run a coordinating office of VOHUNet with the strong commitment of support from other core university members (HMU and HUA). VOHUN calls for the participation of universities, research institutions, policy-making agencies, and international organizations to participate towards the ultimate One Health for humans, animals, and the environment.