From September 12th to 23rd, 2023, a group of 80 interdisciplinary interns, including professors, lecturers, researchers, doctoral students, and students from KU Leuven University, Belgium, along with VNU University of Science, the Institute for Vietnamese Studies and of Development Sciences, North-West University, South Africa, had an excellent experience during the "Living Lab" 2023 interdisciplinary internship in Hoa Binh.
The group set out for Hoa Binh on September 12th, 2023, with the first stop in Mai Chau district. Here, Vietnamese students and 43 Belgian graduate students collaborated on research topics ranging from nature to society, such as water, biodiversity, carbon, landscape beauty, tourism management, gender and tourism, mapping tourism infrastructure, and land use mapping. The first two days allowed Belgian professors and Vietnamese lecturers to review the internship plan and guide students in field activities for each researched topic. In the following days, students were divided into 8 interdisciplinary groups, each interning on the 8 mentioned topics. This approach ensured that students practiced all the topics during the internship.
Professors guiding students on group discussion methods in the Tourism and Gender Issues course
After 5 days in the Thai ethnic village (Mai Chau), the group crossed Hoa Binh Lake to Da Bac district. Here, the group was divided into 2 teams: one team stayed with the Muong people in Dao Bia village (Tien Phong commune), and the other team went over the mountains to stay with the Dao Tien people in Sung village (Cao Son commune).
Group discussion on gender equality and empowering women in tourism in Mai Chau
After 4 days in Da Bac district, the internship group returned to Mai Chau district. Here, students had an additional two days to finalize and analyze data and present preliminary research results. The last day was reserved for summarizing the internship. In the concluding session, students presented preliminary research results on the 8 topics and shared their impressions of the internship and Vietnam. Representatives from local authorities, businesses, and community were invited to the concluding session to ensure close collaboration between stakeholders: scientists, managers, businesses, and the local community in addressing sustainable development issues at the local level. In the closing ceremony, Vietnamese students were awarded certificates and received gifts from KU Leuven University professors.
After the two-week internship journey in Hoa Binh, some Belgian students will stay in Vietnam to work on their theses, while others will return to the university to analyze data and write internship reports. It is hoped that the research results from this internship will contribute to the sustainable development of the local area and further strengthen the close collaboration between KU Leuven University and VNU University of Science.
Images of internship activities:
Professors guiding students in water sampling
Students being instructed on measuring biomass and classifying plants in the Biodiversity and Carbon course
The group stopping at the Ho Chi Minh monument to learn about the history and role of the Hoa Binh hydropower plant
Bicycles as the main means of transport for the group in Mai Chau
On the way to Ban Lac (Mai Chau)
Discussing with local authorities and organizations to understand tourism management issues in Da Bac
Discussing with the community about the advantages and limitations of the village in tourism development
Community members discussing to choose their preferred tourist target
Collecting underwater specimens, measuring water quality
Mobile laboratory set up in the village
Interviewing tourists about the landscape’s scenic beauty
Field trip during the day, data entering in the evening
Stream trekking to study the water environment in Da Bac
Interviewing locals about land use activities
Crossing Hoa Binh Lake to Da Bac district
Journey over the mountain pass, stream trekking to Dao Tien village
Some activities outside the internship program:
First dinner at Homestay Minh Tho, Hich 2 hamlet, Mai Hich commune, Mai Chau district
Cultural exchange with the local community
Participation in the Dao Tien people's vegetarian festival in Sung village
Memory tree expressing people's feelings about the Living Lab, Vietnam, and its people
Awarding certificates to HUS volunteer students
Awarding certificates to 5 interpreters