Reinforcing the capabilities of Quy Nhon University-Vietnam in solving local problems by building up a doctoral training program

A project evaluation can objectively be made in considering all the results obtained with respect to the purposes and concrete objectives described in work packages of the original proposal. The latter included:

i) establishment of a doctoral program in physical and theoretical chemistry at QNU: this was our first achievement as such a program was formally approved by the Vietnam Ministry of Education and Training in May 2016. The first four Ph. D. candidates were recruited from the chemistry department staff and supported by the project from November 2016, and the program is going forward continously receiving candidates through a yearly selection organized every November.

ii) The original work packages (WP) are summarized as follows:

• WP 1: Improvement of research infrastructure: some instruments needed for chemical analysis were purchased and are operational for the work of Chemistry department;
• WP 2: Characterize the pollutants in shrimp pond water and flooding water;
• WP 3: Modelling and simulations;
• WP 4: Synthesis of materials as adsorbents and photocatalysts for pollutants treatment
• WP 5: Study the flocculation mechanisms of some popular natural products, and
• WP 6: Evaluation of treatment performance of the proposed materials.

Successful realizations of these WPs were well reflected in the list of publications, and in the fact that four Ph.D. students defended with success their doctoral theses whose subjects and contents are related to these WPs. The staff and graduate students of QNU chemistry department had much chance to improve their performance in research by short visits to the Leuven labs and working within the local teams. Many research teams have indeed been formed from staff of different divisions. These teams are still pursuing the main objectives of the project on the treatment of wastewater from different sources.

Although the project can be evaluated as globally successful, some plans could not be implemented yet, and some issues, not failures, remain to be solved. Although the solutions proposed for treatment of wastewater of local environment have been put into pilot stations, and the large-scale stations have been proposed, the scientific results obtained from the project have not been yet translated into the ground realities. The QNU groups remain committed to work further and looking for opportunities and support to implement these stations for use by the local farmers and people.

Watch our summary video here.