On September 23, 2021, Van Lang University cooperated with Wageningen University and Deft University of Technology to co-organize the international conference "Path to a Sustainable Water Future", summarized research results from 4 project groups in the "Urbanising Deltas of the World" program.

The seminar “Paths to a Sustainable Water Future” was hosted by The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), Van Lang University (VLU), Wageningen University (WUR), Delft University of Technology (TU Delft).

With an international scale, the conference gathered the participation of a number of other universities in the European Union, Ghana, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Mozambique, Indonesia, and many multinational companies interested in sustainable water usage.

The conference was attended by many scientists and multinational companies interested in the field of sustainable water in the world.

The conference “Paths to a Sustainable Water Future” was organized to summarize the research results of four projects in the “Urbanising Deltas of the World” program, including:

• ENTIRE – Vietnam project co-hosted by VLU and WUR
• Three projects led by TU Delft include DELTAP-Bangladesh, Sustainable Freshwater Supply for Urbanizing “Maputo”-Mozambique and Iwash-DIY Hand Washing Initiative-Bangladesh and Ghana

Summary of the main results of the ENTIRE project

The workshop was held online with two main sessions. In the first session, project representatives briefly introduced the project along with the results of the case study. In the second session, members of the four projects and guests were divided into four groups (corresponding to four projects) and discussed topics related to the application of research results from the projects as well as orientations for future research cooperation and development.

The project “ENTIRE – Enabling sustainable industrial development in Vietnamese delta’s: Reducing, recycling and multi-sourcing industrial water” has been implemented since the end of 2016. During the first session, Prof. Huub Rijnaarts, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kujawa - Roeleveld, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Judith van Leeuwen and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi My Dieu reviewed the project's goal of sustainable industrial development in the Deltas of Vietnam through recycling, reusing and diversification of industrial water sources and emphasized the importance of the results in the sustainable use of water resources, reducing competition for water use in three sectors of industry, agriculture, and urban.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi My Dieu gave an overview of the project "ENTIRE - Enabling sustainable industrial development in Vietnamese delta's: Reducing, recycling and multi-sourcing industrial water"

These results are drawn from (i) research by postgraduate Tran Thu Trang when applying the institutional capacity analysis framework to provide innovative perspectives on governance and institutions towards sustainable water use in industrial zones of Vietnam, (ii) from the research of postgraduate Le Minh Truong to transform the model of “Urban Harvest Approach” in the context of the Industrial Park into “Industrial Harvest Approach” in order to be self-sufficient in industrial water supply, aiming to minimize water demand and maximize water reuse, recycling and circulation activities, and (iii) from the research on building a model “Decision support using VIKOR method” to integrate the two elements of engineering, technology and governance into Effective water management by researcher Astha Bhatta.

The results of the project were partly drawn from the research of the MSc. Le Minh Truong and PhD. MSc. Tran Thu Trang - Faculty of Technology, Van Lang University

The discussion session of the ENTIRE project, divided into four main topics, also took place with great enthusiasm, with diverse perspectives from the participants of the workshop.

The discussion session of the ENTIRE project ended with comments on (i) transferring and applying research results to the beneficiaries being the State Management Agencies, Investment Company of infrastructure of industrial parks and enterprises; and (ii) extend research results from ENTIRE to neighboring sectors (urban, agricultural) through the upcoming Aqua-Connect project jointly implemented by WUR and VLU.

Following the joint workshop of 4 projects, the ENTIRE Project Summary Workshop will continue to take place on the upcoming October 1, 2021.

MSc. Tran Thu Trang
PhD. MSc. Le Minh Truong - Gia Han

On the morning of September 25, 2021, Van Lang University's Faculty of Technology organized an academic workshop with the topic: "Potential application of Nano - Bubble technology in sustainable aquaculture" with the lecturer Dr. Le Thanh Dien - Alumnus of Course 13 in Biotechnology at Van Lang University.

As an alumnus of Course 13 of Biotechnology at Van Lang University, Dr. Le Thanh Dien continued to pursue her professional career. Then he received a Master's degree in Biotechnology from the University of Science and Technology - Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, and a Doctor of Science in Veterinary Science and Technology - Major in Microbiology at Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). He has more extensive research experience in the field of Probiotics technology, phage technology, Nanobubble technology, resistance - antibiotics, and antibiotic alternatives. Currently, Dr. Le Thanh Dien is teaching at Tien Giang University, majoring in Biotechnology.

The seminar had the presence of lecturers of the Faculty of Technology and more than 60 students of Biotechnology at Van Lang University.

In the workshop, Dr. Le Thanh Dien shared the research process of Nano - Bubble Application of himself and his colleagues. Nano - Bubble has been demonstrated to increase dissolved oxygen and kill Vibrio Parahaemolyticus. Through many experiments, people can apply Nano - Bubble in aquaculture. Nano-Bubble technology can wipe out viruses in aquaculture, enhance non-specific immune responses, and increase the survived fish when infected by multi-resistant bacteria such as Aeromonas Hydrophila, Streptococcus Agalactiae.

Impacts from the environment, pathogens, and parasites affect aquatic life. Ozone-nanobubbles technology enhances dissolved oxygen, thereby improving water quality, activating the non-specific immune system against pathogenicity. In addition, this technology has also decimated some bacteria such as Aeromonas Veronii and Streptococcus agalactiae that cause diseases in aquatic products, reducing the quantities of infected aqua organisms, increasing the efficiency of using bacteriophages in aquaculture. Because of the above benefits, Nano - Bubble is used popularly in aquaculture farms, wastewater treatment, disinfection of water sources, applied in high-tech agriculture, and providing oxygen for farms fish.

Nano-Bubble application is a new approach for the aquaculture industry developed in Vietnam. The workshops helped both Biotechnology students and students of the Faculty of Technology can expand, update new knowledge, and support their career development in the future.

Hopefully, workshops can create conditions for students to access new knowledge and practical experience from teachers, scientists with high professional qualifications, and experience in the major. The Faculty of Technology of Van Lang University expects to maintain the organization of academic seminars every two-week, providing the opportunity to meet and exchange with experts, nurture a passion for research, and be updated with information on regular science for students.

Mai Linh

On October 1, 2021, the Faculty of Technology Van Lang University cooperated with Wageningen University of the Netherlands (WUR) and the Center for Technology and Environmental Management (ETM) to successfully organize the International Conference to end the ENTIRE project – ENabling susTainable Industrial development in Vietnamese delta's: REducing, Recycling and multi-sourcing industrial water. 

In March 2016, Van Lang University and Wagenigen University (Netherlands) launched the ENTIRE Environmental Project, which aimed to develop sustainable industry in the deltas of Vietnam through reusing, recycling and industrial water diversification. After 5 years of implementation, the project has reached its destination, with a review workshop held on October 1, 2021.

The seminar with the participation of the project leader in the Netherlands and Vietnam, the main members co-executing the topic and the participation of researchers and experts in the field of environmental research:

• Researcher Astha Bhatta (WUR)
• Prof. Huub Rijnaarts, Wageningen University (WUR)
• Prof. Simon Bush, Wageningen University (WUR)
• Assoc. Kujawa Katarzyna Roeleveld, Wageningen University (WUR)
• Prof. Assoc. Dr. Tran Thi My Dieu, Rector of Van Lang University
• Researcher, MSc. Tran Thu Trang (Van Lang University)
• Researcher, MSc. Le Minh Truong (Van Lang University)
• Researcher Astha Bhatta (WUR)

The conference was attended by delegates from ETM, WUR, VLU, training, research and business units who are interested in the environment.

Opening the Conference, Prof. Huub Rijnaarts and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi My Dieu would like to express her sincere thanks to the members, experts and partners for supporting the implementation and accompanying the research team from 2015 to present. During the implementation of the ENTIRE project, the project organized 5 seminars and field trips of project members in Vietnam. The results of the workshop are expected to be the next steps to provide technological and institutional solutions, drawing an overview of water use for industrial activities in the southern delta region of Vietnam. The project is also an extension of the close relationship between Van Lang University and Wageningen University over the past 25 years, since VLU's Environmental industry began to form and develop.

3 presentations by 3 key members summarized the main results of the ENTIRE Project.

- Researcher Astha Bhatta builds a decision support model with parameters from the survey in export processing zones and industrial zones within the project scope to determine the most viable alternative water source, and the approval of authorities and businesses. The results show that rainwater is a viable alternative water source in the Tan Thuan export processing zone.

- Researcher, MSc. Le Minh Truong (Faculty of Technology - Van Lang University) said that there are two approaches in using water efficiently, including reducing the need for water and reusing alternative water sources. The reasons for the inefficient use of water can include technical factors, production technology and production scale. For the reusing of wastewater after treatment, nitrate and some heavy metals must be removed to use for other purposes. Ion exchange and wetland technologies have been applied to improve water quality after treatment in Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone and Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park.

Researcher, MSc. Le Minh Truong presents an approach to efficient use of water resources

- Researcher, MSc. Tran Thu Trang analyzed and evaluated strengths and limitations in the capacities of enterprises and management agencies, including institutional capacity (regulatory framework capacity); knowledge capacity; relational capacity and mobilization capacity in water resource management.

- In the discussion with scientists, representatives of management agencies, businesses and NGOs in environmental work highly appreciated the research results, gave directions to apply the results as well as assessment tools for other regions. Moreover, this is one of the links and can develop in the direction of the circular economy - one of the development orientations of the world today.

After the end of the ENTIRE project, Wageningen University has also planned the next projects together with the Faculty of Technology, Van Lang University.

Dr. Huynh Tan Loi
Faculty of Technology

As part of a series of seminars to help students practice skills, improve knowledge and get acquainted with experts and scientists in the field, on October 2, 2021, Faculty of Technology cooperated with Van Lang Environment Alumni Club, Phu Khanh Environment Company, and Trident Water Systems Company (Singapore) to organize a seminar on the topic "Technological wastewater treatment system by electrolysis".

The seminar "Industrial wastewater treatment system by electrolysis - Electro Contaminant Removal (ECR) System" is an event co-organized by the Faculty of Technology and other units, with the presence of more than 100 people. Led by experts in the environmental field, the seminar introduced attendees, especially students of Environmental Engineering Technology, to electrolysis technology being applied in water/ wastewater treatment in countries, especially Southeast Asia including Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Myanmar, etc.

With preeminent characteristics in operating principle, electrolysis technology is one of the alternatives compared to current traditional processing technologies. Mr. Nguyen Quang Khai - Director of Phu Khanh Environment Company discussed with Van Lang students about internship opportunities at the branch of Trident Company in Jakarta City, Indonesia. Accordingly, the internship at Trident gives VLU students of Environmental Technology major group many incentives, helping them to have experiences to improve their professional capacity through practical work.

Expert Sarwo Budiyono (Trident water systems company, Indonesia branch) presented the industrial wastewater treatment system by electrolysis.

At the end of the seminar, students took part in a short test to synthesize knowledge. Upon successful completion of the test, students will be issued a certificate confirmed by the organization.

The seminar is part of a series of activities for students and alumni of the Environmental Technology major organized by the Faculty of Technology, Van Lang University, in order to update students' specialized knowledge. At the same time, this is also an activity to promote a strong bond between the training institution and the enterprise, between the previous generation of alumni and their juniors. Academic and exchange activities will continue to be maintained and organized regularly by the Faculty of Technology in the academic year 2021 - 2022.

Dr. Huynh Tan Loi
Faculty of Technology
Translated by: Oanh Doan