A significant milestone in Vietnam–Japan scientific collaboration was marked on the morning of November 18, with the inauguration of the Analytical Research & Education (R&E) Center at Hòa Lạc under Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU).

vnu khai truong ptn hus hl 24.jpeg

Director Hoang Minh Son of VNU Hanoi speaks at the opening of the Analytical R&E Center in Hoa Lac.

The event welcomed over 100 delegates, including representatives from the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam, top universities, research institutions, and enterprises from both countries specializing in environmental monitoring and food safety.

The center is a core component of the SATREPS EDFEN project - funded by Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) and jointly managed by JICA and JST. It is led by the University of Science (VNU Hanoi) and is designed to develop fast, user-friendly analytical technologies while also training professionals to address national challenges in food safety and environmental protection.

Technology, training, and data: The three pillars of cooperation

Speaking at the launch, VNU Director Hoang Minh Son emphasized the center’s dual mission: modernizing scientific infrastructure and applying research outcomes to real-world problems, especially those faced by Hanoi and the nation in safeguarding public health and the environment.

Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki praised the SATREPS project for its strategic importance in training human resources and promoting modern analytical technologies.

He said the project aims to train 300 experts over the next five years, helping Vietnam enhance its capacity to analyze environmental and food safety conditions according to global standards. He expressed confidence that stronger partnerships between universities and businesses in both countries will create a solid foundation for sustainable development.

SATREPS: A strategic roadmap for scientific advancement

đại sứ nhật bản.jpeg
Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki at the ceremony, praising the project’s role in science and education.

Le Thanh Son, Rector of the University of Science at VNU Hanoi, underscored that the new center is a tangible outcome of SATREPS. He outlined the center’s three foundational pillars: on-site analytical technology, high-quality human resource training, and the application of data science in environmental monitoring.

The university is committed to fully utilizing this investment to turn the center into a model of international scientific cooperation.

Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Noi, Vietnam’s representative for the SATREPS project, elaborated on its objectives.

The initiative focuses on developing low-cost, accurate, and rapid analytical technologies, while strengthening national capacity for environmental management.

It includes four key components: innovating field analysis tools, upgrading monitoring stations, training personnel across 34 provinces, and integrating big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT) for comprehensive analysis.

A comprehensive collaboration between science, government, and business

SATREPS EDFEN represents a multilateral partnership involving regulatory bodies, universities, research institutes, and corporations from both countries.

On the Vietnamese side, participants include the University of Science (VNU Hanoi), the Northern Environmental Monitoring Center, and the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Bac Ninh province.

Japan is represented by Waseda University, HORIBA Group, TOA DKK, and the Japan Analytical Instruments Manufacturers’ Association (JAIMA).

The center's long-term goal is to build a joint research model between Vietnam and Japan for advanced analytical science, improving local capacity to respond to environmental and food-related challenges with international-level precision and speed.

Thanh Hue