Our collaboration with VNU started in 2015. The project was first launched as an education collaboration of analytical chemistry to leading universities in developing countries in cooperation with the Japan Analytical Instruments Manufacturers’ Association (JAIMA) to foster capacity growth in analytical chemistry and its role in education and research. Analytical technologies are important in Vietnam because Vietnam is a rapidly growing country and analytical technology is the foundation for science and technology.
In 2018, with the cooperation of JAIMA, analytical equipment and laboratory instruments were installed, and an analytical laboratory was established in VNU-HUS. Every year, almost 300 students in VNU-HUS can be trained with more than 10 analytical instruments from JAIMA.
Based on the success, we also started the research collaboration for environmental pollution monitoring because it is a serious social problem in Vietnam. Environmental monitoring technologies are being developed such as field chemical testing devices using microfluidic devices for heavy metals in water, and improvement of the environmental monitoring stations, in combination with low-cost sensors (LCS) and data integration from the devices, stations, and remote sensing. The data integration targets high spatial resolution and accurate wide-area environmental monitoring. Vietnam’s government and industries are involved in this research project. The output will be implemented in Vietnam and contribute to environmental management. Also, excellent analytical technicians will be provided from this project by establishing certificated analytical training courses. For those activities, an analytical R&E center is established at the Hoa Lac new campus.
These activities widely contribute to SDGs (food, water, education, etc). The activities will be expanded to other ASEAN countries as well. The activities will be expanded to medical and basic biology fields.
