NEW STUDENT ALUMNI STUDENT STAFF VIETNAMESE

Closing Ceremony of 10 Years of the VLIR Vietnam Network Bioscience For Food program (2013-2023)

On October 27, 2023, Can Tho University (CTU) in collaboration with Ghent University (Kingdom of Belgium) organized the Closing Ceremony of the VLIR Vietnam Network Bioscience for Food Program (2013 - 2023).

The ceremony was attended by Prof. Dr. Ha Thanh Toan, Rector of CTU, Vietnamese Coordinator; Prof. Koen Dewettinck, Flemish Coordinator, Ghent University; Mr. Peter De Lannoy, Global Partnership Coordinator, and representative of all partner universities.

The Closing Ceremony took place at the Hall of Advanced Technology Laboratory

Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Dr. Ha Thanh Toan presented an overview of the achievements of the VLIR Vietnam Network program over the 10 years of collaboration (2013 - 2023). VLIR Vietnam Network is a collaborative program funded by the Flemish Interuniversity Council. The program aims to establish a network between universities in Flanders, the Kingdom of Belgium, and universities in Vietnam to develop and strengthen cooperation among institutes, universities, and postgraduate training collaborations for international master's degrees and dual doctoral degrees based on research in food biology. The VLIR Vietnam Network program is coordinated by the CTU and Ghent University (Belgium). The program consists of two projects (Project 1 for Aquaculture and Project 2 for Food Technology) divided into two phases: Phase I (2013 - 2018) and Phase II (2019 - 2023).

The two training programs projects have achieved significant success. 165 students from 22 countries were trained in specialized courses at CTU and the universities in the network. The programs have improved the quality of the MSc Aquaculture program and expanded the network's reach within and beyond Vietnam. A dual degree doctoral program was developed, fostering collaboration and knowledge transfer. Doctoral students successfully completed research work, resulting in 8 international publications. Faculty members received training in international teaching methods, and institutes and universities enhanced their professionalism in management and training, contributing to the overall success of the programs.

Prof. Dr. Ha Thanh Toan in his speech

Prof. Koen Dewettinck, Flemish Coordinator, expressed his joy in accompanying CTU in implementing the VLIR Vietnam Network program, which is a collaboration between Vietnamese universities and Flemish universities. He also expressed his desire to collaborate with CTU on future educational projects.