From 13 to 15 November, a delegation from VNUHCM-University of Science (HCMUS) participated in the First GNU-HCMUS Joint Symposium on Biotechnology, hosted by Gyeongsang National University (GNU, Republic of Korea) at the Gajwa campus. This event was a key academic activity implemented within the framework of cooperation between HCMUS and GNU, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in January 2025.

The symposium was primarily led by the Research Institute of Plant Biotechnology and the Molecular Control Research Institute (GNU), in coordination with G-LAMP, BK21 FOUR Agricultural-Biological Sciences, the Biomedical Big Data Project, and the ABC-RLRC Centre. The event convened 15 lecturers, researchers, and postgraduate students from the two institutions to present the latest research findings in biotechnology and related interdisciplinary fields.

The HCMUS delegation included Dr Nguyễn Thị Hồng Tưởng, Dr Nguyễn Hữu Hoàng, and young researchers from the Faculty of Biology – Biotechnology to deliver specialist presentations. GNU was represented by many esteemed experts, including Prof. Kwon Moonhyuk, Prof. Lee Sangkyu, Prof. Kang Yangje, Prof. Kim Daewon, and Prof. Bui Van Tien.

In his welcome speech, Prof. Jeong Woosik highly praised the role of HCMUS in bilateral cooperation, and emphasised the anticipation for expanding student, lecturer, and research group exchanges to enhance international competitiveness. At the closing session, Dr Nguyễn Hữu Hoàng represented HCMUS alongside Prof. Jeong Woosik in reaffirming a commitment to boost cooperation programmes in the forthcoming period.

The symposium also marked an initial cooperative success, with a postgraduate student from HCMUS having commenced the student’s study programme at GNU in 2025. This success signals positive developments for joint training and academic exchange activities. The two universities agreed to continue expanding academic cooperation, focusing on areas such as student and researcher exchange, visiting and research invitation programmes, attracting high-quality postgraduate students, and developing joint research projects and applied research platforms.

Notably, HCMUS will host the Second GNU-HCMUS Joint Symposium in the autumn of 2026, which is expected to expand the scale and depth of collaboration in the field of biotechnology.

The participation of VNUHCM-University of Science at this symposium further confirms the University’s standing in biotechnology education and research within Viet Nam, while strengthening the strategic cooperative relationship with Gyeongsang National University in developing valuable research programmes with international outreach.