Inaugural Meeting for the Hokkaido University Alumni Association in Northern Vietnam, Appointment Ceremony for the Hokkaido University Ambassador from Vietnam, and Get-together in Hanoi, Vietnam (Dec. 6th, 2019)

To celebrate the establishment of the Alumni Association in Northern Vietnam, the appointment of HU Ambassador LE Viet Dzung, as well as the new overseas office at VNU-NUS, a get-together and reception was held in Hanoi on December 6^th, 2019.

In the afternoon, there was a meeting to inaugurate HU’s newest alumni association in northern Vietnam. During the meeting, Dr. DINH Thanh Mung (Official of the Department of Science, Technology and International Cooperation, Directorate of Water Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) was elected as Chairperson, Dr. NGUYEN MANH Cuong (Laboratory Manager, DNP Water) as Vice-Chairperson, and Ms. VU THI Kim Chi (Research Assistant at Nagasaki University Project, Vietnam Research Station) as Secretary. Dr. LE Viet Dzung (Vice Rector for International Research Affairs and Quality Management, Can Tho University), who would be appointed as a HU Ambassador later that day, also attended the meeting as an observer.

Associate Professor LE Viet Dzung of Can Tho University was then appointed as an HU Ambassador.

Associate Professor LE Viet Dzung graduated from Hokkaido University’s Graduate School of Agriculture and is the Vice Rector for International Research Affairs and Quality Management at Can Tho University. He was appointed for the active roles he has played in promoting collaborations between Can Tho University and HU, particularly through JICA, the First Step Program, and the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association. He also attended the Preparatory Meeting for the HU Alumni Association in Southern Vietnam at Ho Chi Minh City in January 2019 and intends to take up the alumni association’s central role of Organizer.

“I always call my great Alma Mater “Hokudai,” not Hokkaido University,” he said.

“Hokudai” is a combination of the Japanese word for university (daigaku) with Hokkaido, and is often used by HU students. In his speech, he also expressed how much his life is supported by his experiences at HU and his deep gratitude for the university even after graduation.

At the reception, around 40 people gathered together. There were long talks about their school days at Sapporo and also discussions about possible future collaborations between their affiliated institutions and HU. HU is looking forward to developing its relationships with Vietnamese universities and expanding the HU community in Vietnam.