On the afternoon of May 29, 2025, Prof. Nguyen Trung Viet – President of Thuyloi University – received a Japanese delegation led by Prof. Akihiko Wakai (Gunma University), Assoc. Prof. Takako Ochi (Saitama University), and several graduate students. The visit was part of the collaborative efforts to prepare for the implementation of the SATREPS project on early warning systems for landslides and debris flows in Central Vietnam.
President Nguyen Trung Viet meets with the Japanese delegation
During the meeting, President Nguyen Trung Viet expressed his pleasure in welcoming the Japanese delegation and emphasized the strategic importance of the SATREPS project not only for Thua Thien Hue Province but also for Vietnam’s broader disaster prevention efforts. On behalf of the delegation, Prof. Wakai thanked President Viet and the university for their warm reception and thoughtful support. He reaffirmed the commitment of the Japanese side to closely coordinate with Vietnamese partners to ensure the effective implementation of the project's components in the coming period.
Photo: Prof. Nguyen Trung Viet discusses the SATREPS project with Prof. Wakai
The SATREPS project is officially titled “Community-based Digital Early Warning System for Landslides and Debris Flows and Integrated Risk Assessment for Central Vietnam: Application of Remote Sensing Technology and Evaluation of Economic Loss Reduction Measures in Thua Thien Hue Province.” The project is scheduled to run for five years (2026–2030), with Thuyloi University as the lead Vietnamese institution, in collaboration with Gunma University and Saitama University (Japan), and funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).
Following the courtesy meeting, the two sides held a technical working session. Core research teams from Vietnam and Japan jointly reviewed and refined the draft project proposal and technical matrix. They also analyzed the findings from the joint field trip conducted in Thua Thien Hue Province on May 27–28, 2025. The discussions covered several key technical aspects such as the installation and operation of X-band weather radar for analysis purposes, identification of potential field survey sites, feasibility assessments, and the development and integration of digital early warning software to support local authorities in managing and responding to landslide risks.
Technical exchange session to finalize the project documents
The working session also addressed the alignment between the Japanese and Vietnamese research approaches, ensuring a unified vision, objectives, and methodology for implementation. This shared understanding serves as a crucial foundation for the finalization of the project documents and ensures the project’s official launch on schedule, after February 2026.
Photo: Group photo of the Vietnamese and Japanese delegations
At the conclusion of the session, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Trung Viet reaffirmed Thuyloi University’s strong commitment to mobilizing all necessary resources and partnering with Japanese institutions to develop high-impact applied research. These efforts aim to enhance disaster risk management capacity, promote climate change adaptation, and contribute to sustainable development in Vietnam.
Department of Science, Technology and International Cooperation
Photos: Department of Political and Student Affair