Virtual technology transfer workshop for Vietnam

The purpose of the training workshop was to introduce the Rapido model, a commercialisation model developed by UTS. The workshop was held online on 15 May 2020 for a wide range of stakeholders based in Vietnam. Technology transfer training is part of the project ‘UTS Rapido Vietnam: Industry 4.0 for sustainable water systems’, a project led by UTS in partnership with high ranking universities in Vietnam, with the financial support of nearly 1 million AUD from the Aus4Innovation program.

Initially scheduled to take place in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and prevented by the onset of COVID-19, the workshop was redesigned for delivery as a single, virtual event.

UTS Rapido is a proven model of technology transfer that can be tailored to the Vietnamese context, to link research outcomes with industry application. It uses advanced engineering and IT approaches to solve technology challenges, leveraging UTS resources and knowledge. The overarching aim of the project is to develop a truly Vietnamese version of the technology, a concept appreciated by both the Australian and Vietnamese Governments.

The project demonstrates the model through two pilot projects: a water filtration system to remove arsenic in Ha Nam province; and the application of IoT platforms to provide communities in Phu Yen province with real-time data about water quality. Both of these pilots can help improve life quality for local inhabitants, and safeguard local industry.

Founding director of UTS Rapido, Mr Hervé Harvard, who also led the workshop, shared his thoughts:

A successful model of technology transfer is essential for universities to contribute in developing a modern, knowledge-based economy. In this context, it is a privilege to work with our Vietnamese partners on how to adapt Rapido for Vietnam.

Hervé Harvard, Director, UTS Rapido

Designed to be highly interactive, the workshop drew heavily on participant input to map out a model of technology transfer suitable for Vietnam. Representatives from major universities in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City attended the workshop, along with representatives from the Aus4Innovation office and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

I think that the workshop was very fruitful for our colleagues in Vietnam. They listened to many experiences from our speakers, not only scientific and technological trends but also related issues such as innovation, intellectual property, project management, and industry-academic collaboration.

Associate Professor Xuan-Tu Tran, Head, Department of Science, Technology and International Relations, VNU-UET

The workshop is a great opportunity for us and our partners to have better insights into how to quickly bring a research prototype to real life application.

Associate Professor Pham Tran Vu, Dean, Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering, HCMUT

Vietnam National University Hanoi Scientists Link Club live streamed the event from their Facebook page. With a reach of almost 4,000, they reported 1,000 views for the stream.

Subsequent workshops will take place in Vietnam as restrictions on travel begin to ease. They will continue to target a broad audience to maximise impact, and encourage widespread adoption of sustainable technology transfer practices.

This project is driven by a team of researchers with interdisciplinary and complementary expertise from the School of Electrical and Data Engineering (Professor Eryk Dutkiewicz, Dr Diep Nguyen, Dr Hoang Dinh, and Dr Thuy Pham) and the Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater (Professor Long Nghiem, Distinguished Professor Saravanamuth Vigneswaran, and Dr Vinh Nguyen).