On October 4th, Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST), Vietnam and the Asahi Glass Foundation (AGF), Japan did successfully organize the Memorandum of Understanding Signing Ceremony online mode via Microsoft Teams platforms and also on the fanpage of HUST.

According to the MOU, Asahi Glass Foundation commits to provide Grants to HUST for three years starting from 2022, to support research in the fields of materials sciences, life sciences, information sciences, environment, energy and social science. The total amount of funds to be provided by AGF will be 3,000,000 yen per year

Eligible applicants must be researchers at HUST who are personally engaged in graduate-level research projects in faculties or research institutes respectively affiliated with HUST. Priority might be given to candidates with doctoral degrees, who have not had ministerial-level equivalent project or higher, the required output is at least one ISI / Scopus paper

Previously, in 2020, Hanoi University of Science and Technology and Asahi Glass Foundation also had signed the first MOU, which indicated that AGF would sponsor 2 million Japanese yen per year for 2 years period from 2020 -2021 for potential research proposal at HUST. During the Calls for AGF Granted Research Projects launched over the last 2 years, 41 research proposals have been submitted. Thanks to precious support from AGF, 6 and 7 research projects have been selected to be financed in 2020 and 2021 respectively with budgets vary from 200.000 - 400.000 yen per project.

In the Opening Address, Assoc. Prof. Huynh Quyet Thang, HUST President, conveyed his sincere thanks to Asahi Glass Foundation for the research-oriented supports. He stressed that: “this support should be a very meaningful starting point for young researchers at HUST, which motivate them to further develop their research path in the future”

During the AGF Grant awarding and MOU signing ceremony, Mr. Takuya Shimamura, the Chairman of Asahi Glass Foundation introduced 3 main programs of the Foundation, which are implementing by supporting advanced research and outstanding students, in addition by recognizing efforts to solve environmental problems that call for global solutions. He also sent his best wishes to HUST Researchers and expressed that: “I firmly believe in all of you, your future is bright, your potential is unlimited, and your possibilities are endless”

During the Ceremony, 7 new grantees have received the Grant Certificate and presented their research works. Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu, one of the AGF Fund grantees this year, introduce her project title “Influence of blank holder pressure on product quality in hydro static forming for sheet metal”. Currently, Dr. Thu and her partners are doing research on thin shell forming applied in the automobile industry. This field has a lot of potential for development in Vietnam, which requires modern equipment to be able to study comprehensively. The young researcher is very proud to be selected for funding from AGF. She said: “I believe that, with the support from the Foundation, we can complete the research with remarkable results and have more contribution to the improvement of Vietnam's science and technology."

Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu, one of the AGF Fund grantees 2021

After the MOU signing ceremony, the report session has been organized, 6 promoters of selected projects have reported their research results. Most of them have achieved the registered research targets. Especially, Dr. Ha Bang Ban, School of Communications and Telecommunications has had 3 international publications, of which 2 are in the ISI/Scopus catalog.

EAO - HUST