On the morning of September 12, 2023, the University of Sciences was delighted to welcome a delegation of professors and graduate students specializing in Sustainable Development from KU Leuven University, Kingdom of Belgium for a visit and cooperative exchange.
Leaders of the University of Sciences and the delegation from KU Leuven University at the meeting
The delegation from KU Leuven University had a working session and exchange with representatives of the University’s Board of Rectors, leaders of functional units, and representatives of the Faculty of Geography, Faculty of Biology, and Faculty of Environment. At the meeting, Associate Professor, Dr. Ngac An Bang, Vice-Rector of the University, warmly welcomed the delegation of experts and graduate students of KU Leuven University who came to study and research at the University. After a period of interruption due to the COVID-19 epidemic, this study and research exchange trip will reconnect the cooperative research activities between the two institutions. The University is always interested in the activities and projects that KU Leuven University will implement in Vietnam and is ready to accompany and become a reliable partner in Vietnam.
The delegation of experts and graduate students from KU Leuven University and representatives of the University of Sciences
During this trip, nearly 60 professors and graduate students from KU Leuven University will join 22 lecturers, students, and graduate students from the University of Sciences, VNU Hanoi, to conduct several interdisciplinary internship course content (Living Lab) in Da Bac and Mai Chau, Hoa Binh areas for 2 weeks (from September 12 - 23, 2023). After the Living Lab concludes, some Belgian graduate students will stay in Vietnam to continue collecting data for their graduation theses.
The atmosphere of the meeting between the delegation of experts and graduate students from KU Leuven University and the University of Sciences
"Living Lab" is an internship module in the Master's Program in Sustainable Development at KU Leuven University. According to the design, the Living Lab will be organized in developing countries in the "Global South" such as South Africa, Vietnam, and Peru. Here, students will practice, study, and propose solutions for sustainable development issues locally. Living Lab has been organized several times in South Africa and from 2023 will be held annually in Vietnam, with the University of Sciences, VNU Hanoi as the Vietnamese partner in this program.
Representatives of the groups present plans and project content to be implemented in the next two weeks in Vietnam
Living Lab is a highly interdisciplinary internship program, gathering a team of professors and experts from different departments at KU Leuven University to participate in teaching, such as Geography, Biology, Forestry, etc. Students and participants in the program also come from various majors such as Geography, Ecology, Sustainability Science, Spatial Planning, Development Science, Environmental Science, Biodiversity, Landscape Ecology, Political Ecology, Human Ecology, and Social Ecology... all working together to solve the problem of sustainable development.