On March 4, 2019 at R222/C1 Building, Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST), HUST and Niigata University (NU), a Japanese university, organize to hold “G-DORM Forum on Global SciTech Education through Regional Collaboration” with partner universities in the Mekong Region.

This forum is to be held as one of the activities in the project of “Co-creative Dormitory-type Group-work for Science and Technological Students in Japan and Mekong Countries with Regional Collaboration” (hereafter called as “G-DORM”). The purpose of G-DORM is to foster global leaders in the field of science and technology who have the ability to solve regional vitalization issues from an integrative standpoint. This interactive educational project has been achieved through group work (GW) internships cooperated with Niigata regional companies and universities from the Mekong countries such as Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP), National University of Laos (NUOL), Chulalongkorn University (CU) as well as HUST, and NU.

The short-term G-DORM student exchange program in Hanoi has been carried out from February 21 to March 4, 2019. In this program, 12 students from HUST and 16 students from NU formed cross-academic year, cross-disciplinary, multinational student teams, and have conducted group work activities including 2-day company visit. The companies visited by them are “Thien Ha Kameda Joint Stock Company” and “TOTO Vietnam Co., Ltd.”, originally from Japan. Distinguished feature of this program is to be provided based on PBL [Project Based Learning or Problem Based Learning] methodology. Students received lectures, practical learning and had a group discussion to gain knowledge on potentials and challenges of the Japanese companies for the extension of their business overseas. In addition, this program provided practical learning opportunities about current and future vision of the Japanese companies in Vietnam from top leaders of the companies. The students could have a chance to be aware of essences on the success of business at global companies, especially Japanese companies, through the participation in this program. Besides, students could improve their attitude and skills for work in Japanese companies and/or international team such as communication and team building.

The G-DORM Forum is composed of (1) Special Lecture from HUST: HUST’s global sci-tech education or its related fields, (2) Invited Speech from Tanaka Scale Vietnam Co., Ltd. on its experience about ODA project and/or required capable personnel, (3) Introduction of G-DORM, and (4) final presentation by groups of the students participating in this program. The students will provide their suggestions on future vision about business of the companies in Vietnam, summarizing their learnings about past, present and future plan on global strategies (business strategy in Vietnam) of the companies as their achievement. Also, educational staff of the partner universities from the Mekong countries is invited in the forum.

About G-DORM:

The purpose of this project is to foster global leaders in the field of science and technology who have the ability to solve regional vitalization issues from an integrative standpoint. This interactive educational project will be achieved through group work (GW) internships cooperated with Niigata regional companies and the Mekong countries by utilizing the information from the achievements of “dormitory-type education*” developed by the Faculty of Engineering, Niigata University, and “Double Degree Program” between the Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, and Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. Human resources developed under this project will realize regional innovation and creation with a global perspective and be expected to contribute to creation and development of sustainable, high-quality industry in infrastructure and manufacturing industries. The project will also aim to expand the “global dormitory-type education” both in Japan and the Mekong countries as an international standardized GW program with quality assurance. As a result, it will contribute in a pioneering way to the economic development of ASEAN +3 and formation of higher education framework in Asia.

* In the “dormitory-type education”, Problem-Based Learning is conducted by student teams that cut across academic year and field of study, and students will learn leadership and cooperation as well as gaining research skills.