Student and Faculty Exchange Program between HCMUNRE and Illinois Wesleyan University (USA), 2018
The student and faculty exchange program between the Ho Chi Minh City University of Natural Resources and Environment (HCMUNRE) and Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU), USA was successfully carried out in two phases during 2018:
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Phase 1 took place in Vietnam in May 2018.
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Phase 2 was conducted in the United States in December 2018.
From the Vietnamese side, the program involved eight final-year students majoring in Environmental Engineering Technology and four lecturers from the Faculty of Environment, HCMUNRE. From the U.S. side, eight senior students and two professors from the Environmental and International Studies Program at Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU), Illinois, participated.
Activities in Vietnam
During the first phase in Vietnam, students and lecturers from both universities engaged in joint classes, academic discussions, and field trips focusing on environmental issues in Vietnam, especially those in Ho Chi Minh City.
The itinerary included visits to:
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A seafood processing company
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A pig farming facility
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A domestic wastewater pumping station
In addition, participants attended presentations and interactive sessions with local authorities to learn about Vietnam’s environmental management system, including:
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The Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Ho Chi Minh City (DONRE)
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The Department of Planning and Architecture of Ho Chi Minh City
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The Sub-Department of Environmental Protection of Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province
Activities in the United States
During the second phase in the U.S., HCMUNRE and IWU students and faculty shared the outcomes of their joint research project titled:
“Reducing the Environmental Impacts of Transportation in Ho Chi Minh City”,
which had been conducted collaboratively between May and December 2018.
In addition to academic exchange, HCMUNRE students:
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Attended real-time classes at IWU
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Participated in guided sustainability tours on the IWU campus and in the Town of Normal, learning about community-based and institutional sustainability initiatives
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Visited the Chicago Architecture Center to explore the latest trends in urban planning and green architecture
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Toured cultural and historical sites such as the Lincoln Museum in Springfield and the Art Institute of Chicago
All accommodation, meals, and transportation costs in the United States were fully supported for the Vietnamese participants throughout the program.
Postponement Due to COVID-19
The next phase of the program, originally planned for 2020, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and is expected to resume in 2021.
Photos from the 2018 Program:
Tham quan vườn rau hữu cơ trong trường IWU
PGS.TS. Nguyễn Thị Vân Hà trình bày báo cáo tại hội thảo
Tham quan nhà máy phân loại giấy tái chế
Sinh viên HCMUNRE và IWU trình bày báo cáo tại hội thảo