Event Report

Kyushu University Forum "KYUDAI NOW" in Vietnam (Thai Nguyen) and Recurrent Education Program

20–21 March 2026

Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry / The King Hotel Thai Nguyen, Vietnam

◆KYUDAI NOW  Thai Nguyen（Saturday, 21 March)
The 3rd KYUDAI NOW in Viet Nam was held on Saturday, 21 March 2026, at The King Hotel Thai Nguyen, in the northern Vietnamese city of Thai Nguyen. The forum was hosted by the Kyushu University Institute for Asian and Oceanian Studies (Q-AOS), co-organized with Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry (TUAF), supported by the Vietnam Association of Kyushu University Alumni (VAKA), and endorsed by the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam. The event was a great success with more than 150 registered participants and was fully subscribed, drawing alumni, academics, researchers, and professionals from across the region.

Photo 1 : Group photo at the opening of KYUDAI NOW Thai Nguyen (21 March 2026)

In the Opening Session, Prof. HARATA Akira, Deputy Director General of Q-AOS, delivered the Welcome Remarks, followed by Opening Remarks from the honored guests: Assoc. Prof. Dr. NGUYEN Hung Quang, Rector of Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry. Assoc. Prof. QIAN Kun (Q-AOS) then introduced Kyushu University and Q-AOS, after which a group photo was taken with all participants.

Session I brought together three presentations spanning artificial intelligence, economics, and environmental science. Assoc. Prof. TA Viet Ton (Faculty of Agriculture) opened with "From Patterns to Understanding: Interdisciplinary Research with AI, Mathematical Modeling, and Simulations," followed by Assoc. Prof. CHU Meifen (Faculty of Economics), who presented "Bitcoin and Four Traditional Currencies during the Covid-19 Pandemic Period." The session concluded with Asst. Prof. NGUYEN Thi Hoai Linh (I²CNER), who introduced "How Can We Know If Stored CO₂ Is Safe? A Machine Learning Approach to Underground Monitoring".
The coffee break was accompanied by poster presentations by three students: Mr. NGUYEN Trung Duc (Doctoral student, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences), Mr. Saeki Takuma (4th year undergraduate, School of Engineering), and Ms. Hatabu Mio (3rd year undergraduate, School of Economics). Participants engaged directly with the student presenters, with animated discussions unfolding across all three posters.

Photo 2: Poster presentations during the coffee break (21 March 2026)

Session II brought together four presentations spanning oncology, photonics, entrepreneurship, and personal experience. Lecturer SAKAI Makoto (Faculty of Medicine) opened with "Heavy-Ion Radiotherapy for Cancer: Technology, Medicine, and Research," followed by Asst. Prof. CHITOSE Youhei (Faculty of Engineering / CMS / OPERA), who presented "From One Molecule to Two Bright Pathways — Advanced Molecular Design for OLEDs and Imaging." Prof. OHNISHI Shinji (Academic Research and Industrial Collaboration Management Office / Kyushu University Open Innovation Platform Co., Ltd.) then shared "The Evolution of Japan's Startup Ecosystem: A Kyushu University Perspective." The session closed with Ms. DONG Thi Ngoc Mai, an alumna now serving at the Department of Science, Technology and External Affairs at TUAF, who shared a heartfelt account of her student life at Kyushu University, titled "Growing Up in Japan".

In the Closing Session, Dr. DUONG Van Thao, Director of the Department of Science, Technology and External Affairs at TUAF, delivered a message on behalf of the Vietnam Association of Kyushu University Alumni. Prof. SHIMIZU Shuji, Vice President of Kyushu University, then delivered the closing remarks.

The subsequent Dinner Reception at the hotel restaurant opened with remarks from Prof. Akira HARATA, Deputy Director General of Q-AOS. Guests also heard from Assoc. Prof. PHAN Trung Nghia, Director of the Polymer and Rubber Materials Institute at Hanoi University of Science and Technology and Vice President of VAJA. The reception provided a lively platform for alumni, students, and international researchers to connect, with vibrant conversations and laughter filling the room. The event was brought to a successful close with a final address by Dr. NGUYEN Manh Dat, Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Kyushu University Alumni.

Photo 3: Networking at the Dinner Reception
(From left: Dr. DUONG Van Thao, Director of the Dept. of Science, Technology and External Affairs at TUAF; Prof. Shuji SHIMIZU, Vice President of Kyushu University; Asst. Prof. Youhei CHITOSE; Assoc. Prof. Dr. NGUYEN Hung Quang, Rector of TUAF; Prof. Akira HARATA, Deputy Director General of Q-AOS; Dr. LÊ Trần Ngoan, Research Management Director, Vinmec Time City and others) (21 March 2026)

◆Recurrent Education Program（Friday, 20 March 2026)
Ahead of the main forum, Kyushu University Q-AOS successfully conducted its fifth Recurrent Education Program of the academic year on Friday, March 20 2026. Held at the Center House of Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry (TUAF), the program drew a significant audience of 82 attendees, including students, researchers, and staff from TUAF. As the organizer and host, Q-AOS continues to drive professional development and knowledge sharing across the region through this ongoing series.

Speciallized Course
The Specialized Course offered an intensive program featuring four expert-led lectures spanning the fields of materials science, medicine, photonics, and economics. The session commenced at 14:00 with Assistant Professor NGUYEN Thi Hoai Linh (I²CNER), who demonstrated how machine learning is transforming conventional materials research, from molecular analysis to alloy development. This was followed by Associate Professor Makoto SAKAI (Faculty of Medicine), who provided an engineering perspective on advanced heavy-ion radiotherapy for cancer treatment. In the latter half of the program, Assistant Professor Youhei CHITOSE (Faculty of Engineering / CMS / OPERA) presented recent advances in molecular design principles for TADF materials, and the course concluded with an insightful introduction to Japan's banking system by Associate Professor Meifen CHU (Faculty of Economics).

General & Career Course
The General & Career Course provided a strategic overview of entrepreneurship and advanced study opportunities at Kyushu University. The session opened with a workshop led by Professor Shinji OHNISHI (Academic Research and Industrial Collaboration Management Office / Kyushu University Open Innovation Platform Co., Ltd.), who introduced the university’s robust ecosystem for business creation. This was followed by a comprehensive guide to graduate opportunities presented by Associate Professor TA Viet Ton (Faculty of Agriculture), covering essential information on admissions, scholarships, and the innovative research conducted at the Mathematical Modeling Laboratory. Each lecture fostered active dialogue through vibrant question-and-answer exchanges, equipping participants with both high-level research insights and the practical knowledge necessary to pursue graduate studies in Japan.

Photo 4 : Group photo at the close of the Recurrent Education Program (20 March 2026)

Summary of Impact and Future Outlook
Through the forum and the Recurrent Education Program, Kyushu University successfully shared its diverse research and innovation activities with the academic and professional communities of northern Vietnam. This initiative served as a vital occasion for strengthening collaboration with Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry and for deepening the alumni network across the region. Building on these interactions, Kyushu University is committed to fostering joint research, academic exchange, and human resource development, serving as a robust platform for long-term partnership with Vietnam.