Promoting Research and Training Cooperation with Kyoto University (Japan)

 

On September 24, 2025, a delegation from Kyoto University, led by Prof. Sameh Ahmed Kantoush from the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), together with a group of experts and students participating in the Overseas Field Seminar 2025, paid a working visit to Thuyloi University.

 In his welcoming remarks, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Trung Viet – President of Thuyloi University, expressed his pleasure in receiving the delegation and emphasized the University’s strategic orientation toward expanding international cooperation and implementing joint research projects in the fields of water resources and disaster prevention. Prof. Viet affirmed that these efforts are fully aligned with the Vietnamese Government’s major policies that prioritize and strengthen the development of science and technology, innovation, and regard education and training as key national missions. This serves as an important foundation for universities to improve training quality, expand international cooperation, and make more meaningful contributions to the country’s sustainable development.

The Department of Science, Technology and International Cooperation reviewed a number of cooperative activities and achievements since the two universities established a Memorandum of Understanding in 2018 through collaboration with the Disaster Prevention Research Institute. The Department expressed its hope that this working session would allow both sides to devote time to discussion, jointly propose new research tasks, and identify suitable funding sources.

Also attending the meeting were lecturers and students from the Advanced Programmes. The representative of School of International Education (SIE) shared the aspiration that both universities would continue to strengthen connections, enhance academic exchange activities, and disseminate information on potential scholarship opportunities, thereby facilitating student participation in exchange programmes. These initiatives provide valuable opportunities for students to experience an international learning environment, enhance their skills, and broaden the academic and professional capacities of both faculty members and students.

During the academic exchange session, Prof. Sameh Kantoush presented the outcomes of cooperation between Kyoto University and Vietnamese universities in river basin water resources management, with particular emphasis on both scientific and practical issues related to water resources governance, research on challenges and conflicts in the context of climate change, and community-oriented solutions. In addition, representatives of Kyoto University provided an overview of the Overseas Field Seminar 2025 currently being implemented in Vietnam, sharing information with Thuyloi University students. The Kyoto University delegation also devoted considerable time to introducing various scholarships and research opportunities in Japan available to Vietnamese students, such as MEXT, JDS, and JASSO, among others.

Through these programmes from Japan, Thuyloi University students can access advanced learning environments, develop research skills, and expand their international academic networks. Prof. Kantoush highlighted the importance of international academic exchange and expressed his hope that Vietnamese students would actively participate in scholarships and exchange programmes in Japan.

In the same academic exchange session, leader of the Department of Science, Technology and International Cooperation and School of International Education of Thuyloi University introduced the University’s development orientations and existing international training programmes, and reaffirmed their readiness to promote cooperation in research, teaching, and student exchange. The University representatives highly appreciated the efforts of the Kyoto University delegation, noting that the discussion would serve as an important foundation for expanding joint projects in the near future. Students from the Advanced Programmes, under the SIE, also actively participated in discussions and exchanges with Kyoto University lecturers and students, sharing academic experiences and engaging in cultural exchange between the two countries.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides expressed their commitment to maintaining and further developing a strong partnership, with a shared goal of contributing to the sustainable development of the water resources sector, climate change adaptation, and the application of new technologies in disaster management.

Department of Science, Technology and International Education

Photo: Department of Political and Student Affairs, School of International Education