Attending the symposium, from Hanoi National University of Education were: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Văn Hiền – Party Secretary, Chairman of the University Council, and Chair of the Vietnam National Committee for the UNESCO MAB Programme; Professor Lục Huy Hoàng, Director of the Institute of Natural Sciences; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dương Minh Lam – Head of the Department of Science and Technology; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Lân Hùng Sơn – Acting Director of the Department of Political and Student Affairs.

From the Faculty of Biology, participants included Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trần Đức Hậu – Dean, along with lecturers, undergraduate and graduate students, and PhD candidates. Notably, this year’s symposium welcomed 6 professors, 9 PhD students, and postdoctoral researchers from Japan, Korea and the Philippines.

Photo 1: THE INTERNATIONAL JOINT SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM held at Hall K1, HNUE.

The symposium was organized on an international scale with the participation of scientists and experts from four countries: Vietnam, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines. The program was jointly coordinated by the Faculty of Biology – HNUE, Nara Women’s University (NWU – Japan), Gyeongsang National University (GNU – Korea), and De La Salle University – Dasmariñas (DLSU-D – Philippines). These institutions have maintained strong cooperation networks with HNUE through active academic exchanges involving faculty and students. The presence of numerous delegates, lecturers, researchers, and students created a vibrant academic atmosphere where the latest scientific findings were shared and future international collaboration was strengthened.

In the opening remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Văn Hiền emphasized the strategic role of life sciences in the face of global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss. He highly appreciated the Faculty of Biology’s efforts in promoting international cooperation and affirmed that the symposium served as an important opportunity to connect scientists, exchange knowledge, and explore new interdisciplinary research directions.

Photo 2: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Văn Hiền delivering the opening remarks.

Photo 3: Certificates presented to speakers.

The symposium program consisted of four in-depth sessions, reflecting current research trends in the field of Biology. In total, 17 oral presentations and 8 poster presentations were delivered.

Session 1, chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Lân Hùng Sơn, focused on research collaboration and fundamental biological sciences. Presentations by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trần Đức Hậu (HNUE), Prof. Satoshi Kagiwada (NWU), and Prof. Woo Sik Chung (GNU) provided updates on research orientations and collaboration activities of their respective institutions. Prof. Woo Sik Chung also introduced his research on environmental stress tolerance in Arabidopsis. After discussion, delegates visited the poster exhibition for academic exchange.

Session 2, chaired by Prof. Satoshi Kagiwada, centered on Microbiology – Ecology – Plant Physiology. Presenters included Dr. Arizaldo Castro (DLSU-D), Prof. Kyun Oh Lee (GNU), Prof. Izumi Katano (NWU), and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trần Thị Thúy (HNUE), covering topics such as drinking water microbiomes, sediment transport interruption, plant glycosylation, and metagenomics applications.

Session 3, chaired by Prof. Kyun Oh Lee, highlighted new findings in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. Presentations from Dr. Triệu Anh Trung (HNUE), Prof. Moonhyuk Kwon (GNU), Ayu Joho (NWU), Maxenne Ignacio (DLSU-D), and Yuqiao Ma (GNU) expanded perspectives on gene structure, synthetic biology, squalene production, HMPV virus evolution, and mechanisms of plant resistance.

Session 4, chaired by Dr. Arizaldo Castro, featured deeply interdisciplinary topics, including aquatic ecology in dam-impacted systems (Naoko Hara – NWU), fish diversity in Tràng An (Nguyễn Trần Ngọc Mai – HNUE), plant-based antibody production (Ha Na Choi – GNU), effects of estrogen on sweet taste preference (Natsumi Kosugi – NWU), and the relationship between the first 1,000 days of life and stunting in children (Nguyễn Dung Nhi & Đỗ Tuấn Minh – HNUE).

Photo 4: Speakers presenting research topics.

Photo 5: Vibrant academic discussion during the symposium.

The scientific poster exhibition remained a key highlight, providing PhD students and undergraduate researchers a valuable platform to present their work, receive expert feedback, and strengthen academic connections. This activity plays an essential role in nurturing young researchers and building a dynamic scientific community.

Photo 6: Poster presentations.

Partner universities reaffirmed their commitment to collaboration with the Faculty of Biology, HNUE through faculty–student exchange programs, joint research, and annual symposium organization, aiming to develop an inclusive and sustainable international academic network.

THE INTERNATIONAL JOINT SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM – “Biosciences for a Sustainable Future”** concluded successfully, reinforcing the research capacity of the Faculty of Biology, the academic standing of HNUE in Asia, and the Faculty’s pioneering role in promoting international scientific collaboration for sustainable development.

In his closing remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trần Đức Hậu expressed deep appreciation for the scientific contributions of partner universities and emphasized that the day’s discussions opened new avenues for collaborative research, training, and academic exchange. He affirmed the significance of the symposium in strengthening global academic networks and fostering cooperative research towards sustainability. He also conveyed sincere thanks to speakers, delegates, and institutional partners for their contributions to the success of the program.

Photo 7: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trần Đức Hậu delivering the closing remarks.

Immediately after the symposium, the Organizing Committee conducted a briefing meeting and decided to expand the 2026 program into three sub-committees to create more opportunities for graduate students and researchers to present their work. The second edition of the INTERNATIONAL JOINT SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM is expected to continue at HNUE, marking the Faculty’s 75th anniversary — a significant milestone recognizing its longstanding contributions to life science education and research in Vietnam.

Photo 8: Delegates and presenters at the symposium.

On December 6, 2025, following the success of THE INTERNATIONAL JOINT SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM, professors and presenters from Nara Women’s University (Japan) and Gyeongsang National University (Korea) took part in a cultural excursion to the Bát Tràng Ceramic Museum and the traditional Bát Tràng craft village.

Photo 9: Delegation checking in at Bát Tràng Ceramic Museum.

The delegation learned about more than 700 years of ceramic history, iconic product lines, and the evolution of the craft village. The museum’s unique architecture and modern exhibition space left a strong impression on participants. At the pottery workshop, professors and presenters engaged in hands-on clay modeling, allowing them to experience the craftsmanship, creativity, and cultural artistry of Vietnamese pottery. The group enjoyed a traditional Northern Vietnamese lunch and continued their cultural exchange activities. In the afternoon, they visited the Bát Tràng ceramic market to learn more about production processes, contemporary designs, and the ceramic product market.

Photo 10: Delegation participating in the pottery-making experience.

After the excursion, the group returned to HNUE where a meeting was held between representatives of partner institutions. The discussion focused on future academic cooperation, faculty–student exchanges, and joint development strategies. The delegation later visited the Faculty of Biology and took commemorative photos.

Photo 11: Meeting and exchange between university representatives.

This cultural–academic event was highly appreciated for its meaningful contribution to strengthening connections among universities and promoting Vietnam’s traditional values to international partners.

Photo 12: Photos from the excursion and cultural experience.