3rd international symposium on "Formulation of the Cooperation Hub for Global Environmental Studies in the Indochina Region" held in Vietnam (27 July 2015)

On 27 July, Kyoto University's Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies (GSGES) and two Vietnamese universities -- the University of Danang and Danang University of Technology -- jointly hosted the "JSPS Core-to Core Program – The 3rd International Symposium on Formulation of the Cooperation Hub for Global Environmental Studies in the Indochina Region" at the University of Danang.

The Symposium was organized as part of a GSGES initiative, which has been underway since 2013, to establish a platform for international interdisciplinary cooperation aimed at addressing environmental issues in Indochina, a region currently undergoing rapid transformation. The initiative, supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) as a JSPS "Core-to-Core Program", involves GSGES coordinating with six regional partners to form an extensive network dedicated to facilitating, among the member institutions: 1) sharing of information on education, research, and practice, 2) international interdisciplinary exchanges, and 3) collaborative research. The participating institutions comprise GSGES's three close partners in Vietnam -- Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Hue University, and Danang University of Technology, each of which is to serve as a regional hub of environmental research collaboration -- and several other institutions outside the country, including Khon Kaen University in Thailand, Champasak University in Laos, and the Royal University of Agriculture in Cambodia, designated as "secondary hubs".

The Symposium was attended by 134 people, including -- in addition to students and faculty members of Kyoto University and other institutions involved in the network project -- representatives of universities in Vietnam and other Asian countries with an interest in the initiative, and officials from Japanese universities and corporations and the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam.

Following opening remarks by GSGES Dean Shigeo Fujii, a welcome address on behalf of the three organizers -- GSGES, the University of Danang, and Danang University of Technology -- was delivered by President Tran Van Nam of the University of Danang.

Next up was a progress report on the Cooperation Hub Project, followed by presentations on international collaboration in education, research, and practice, given by representatives of the University of Danang, the Japanese embassy in Vietnam, and the Kyoto University ASEAN Center.

The Symposium also included a certification ceremony for the Vietnamese academics who are being supported by GSGES's research seed grant program, which operates as part of the Hub initiative, as well as oral and poster presentations on their projects by the grant recipients.

In another session, presentations on activities and products of Japanese companies operating in Vietnam prompted lively discussion with active participation from business representatives.

Held annually by GSGES and one or more of its partner institutions -- Hue University in 2013, and Can Tho University and the Hanoi University of Science and Technology in 2014 -- the International Symposium has served over the years to deepen discussion among participants regarding promotion of regional collaboration on research and education. It is anticipated that further cooperation can be realized by building on the outcomes of these discussions.