Gary Metcalf, Stefan Blachfellner and Gerhard Chroust, International Federation for Systems Research officers (IFSR), established strong relations with Dr. Nguyen van Thanh, Governor of Hai Phong City of Vietnam at the 57th ISSS Congress in Hai Phong, July 2013. As a consequence Dr. Thanh and a delegation of 9 high-ranking officials from the government of Hai Phong visited Vienna on September 2 to 3, 2013 to talk with the IFSR, the Austrian Chamber of Commerce and Austrian business representatives concerning cooperation between Vietnam and Austria. Stefan Blachfellner, IFSR Vice President, welcomed the guests from Vietnam with a particularly warm and promising opening speech with the title “Science connects. Science creates value”. Following the first dialogues in Hai Phong two month before Blachfellner presented a concept and at the same time an invitation describing science as a new starting point, a new perspective, a new tool to co-design and co-create knowledge, economics and social development with the final positive impact: “Quality of life as the most important value development.”

A two day workshop presented a short introduction into the culture and history of Vienna, the role of the IFSR, and initiated contacts with several scientific societies located in Vienna (IFSR, IASCYS, OCG, OSGK, and BCSSS). In conversations with three representatives of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (Mag. H-J.Hörtnagl, Dipl.-Ing. A. Höller, Dr. H.F. Kacher ) possibilities for intensified commercial cooperation were discussed. Two representatives of the Vienna branch office of Malik Management (Mag. H. Timischl, MSc , O. Wichtl), presented their systemic approach to city management. Additionally the founding of a systems society in Hai Phong (ISSSHP) is under way and the IFSR is looking forward to welcome a new member. Source: IFSR Newsletter 2013, vol. 30, No 1 (December 2013)