From 8 to 11 April, a delegation from VNUHCM–University of Science (HCMUS), led by Associate Professor Trần Minh Triết – Vice President, conducted a working visit to Tohoku University, Japan, to attend an international symposium and discuss strategic partnerships. The delegation included Associate Professor Huỳnh Văn Tuấn – Dean of Faculty of Physics – Engineering Physics, Associate Professor Nguyễn Văn Hiếu – Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Semiconductor Industry Association, and Associate Professor Vũ Thị Hạnh Thu.

During the visit, the delegation toured and surveyed advanced research facilities, including the NanoTerasu Center (a 4th-generation synchrotron radiation facility), the Semiconductor Creativity Hub, the Micro System Integration Center, and various laboratories across the Aobayama and Katahira Campuses. These state-of-the-art facilities exemplify a model of seamless integration between academic research and technological development for industrial application.

Through academic exchanges, the delegation gained insights into sophisticated equipment systems in the fields of MEMS, sensors, and semiconductor technology. Discussions were held with professors and research groups at Tohoku University to outline future collaborative directions. Both institutions agreed to promote postgraduate training programmes, co-supervise Master’s and Doctoral candidates, and coordinate the implementation of joint research projects, particularly within the framework of the NEXUS semiconductor programme supported by the Government of Japan.

A central component of the visit was a working session with Professor Hitoshi Takamura – Dean of the School of Engineering at Tohoku University, regarding collaborative training and research in MEMS and semiconductor technology. The two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), establishing a foundation for expanded educational cooperation, academic exchange, and strengthened industry links within the semiconductor circuit sector.

In addition, the delegation participated in the 2026 International Symposium on Microelectronics and Semiconductor Training and Research, hosted by Tohoku University and featuring scientists from Japan and Viet Nam. The symposium focused on research areas such as MEMS sensors, two-dimensional materials, biosensors, VLSI circuits, and applications in biomedicine and the environment.

The visit serves to strengthen academic connections with international partners while facilitating broader cooperation with the Vietnamese doctoral research community in Japan. This occasion also provided an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of the partnership between the two institutions since 2009, thereby guiding the development of specialised research groups and promoting international cooperation and the cultivation of high-quality human resources in MEMS and semiconductor technology.

 

Source: Faculty of Physics – Engineering Physics