At the beginning, Associate Prof. Tran Duc Hau gave a brief introduction about Faculty of Biology (HNUE), focusing on training programs, departments and research directions, which potentially meet the fields from staff members of Faculty of Science (NWU). He also presented faculty members from Faculty of Science (NWU) whose research interests were probably related to those from Faculty of Biology. The given information is really useful for the discussion section.

After that, Prof. Fugo from NWU told a long history of NWU and faculties within this university. Then he detailed Faculty of Science, where he is working on, and he also showed faculty members who had similar field with those from Faculty of Biology, HNUE.

The meeting then was moving to the discussion section, where the two sides focussed on exchanges of students and staff in training and research. Based on the agreement of the MOU, no more than two students should be exchanged each year. Several issues for the exchange were indicated, including financials, field, time and duration. The meeting suggested that the exchange of students should be within one to two weeks in the summer time. Due to the budget, at the first step, students from the NWU side will be able to participate in classes with students in the third semester, especially in the field trip in national parks to study animals, plants and ecosystems. Besides the budget, English is one of challenges for students from the two sides.

For the staff exchange, it should be more feasible since we will be able to start from this October or November, when several staff members from NWU have seminars or lectures for students and lecturers in several universities that signed MOUs with NWU in Vietnam. Lecturing for students who study Biology in English and talented students will be one of the most priorities for the exchange. Of course, to do this activity effectively, the two sides must refer curricula that are teaching.

The meeting concluded several points in the exchange of students and lecturers between the two sides, and any collaboration issues should be discussed in advance.

Below are selected photos of the meeting:

Fig. 1. A signing of renewal of the MOU between NWU and HNUE

Fig. 2. Discussion about the collaboration between Faculty of Biology (HNUE) and Faculty of Science (NWU)

Fig. 3. Visiting the meeting room of Department of Plant Physiology and Application

Fig. 4. Dr. Trieu Anh Trung introduced the Laboratory of Molecular

Fig. 5. Associated Prof. Tran Duc Hau gave an introduction of the 3R activity of the Youth in Faculty of Biology to Prof. Fugo

Fig. 6. A group photo in the main building gate of the Faculty of Biology

Written by: Assoc. Pro. PhD. Tran Duc Hau