Students from Saxion University of Applied Sciences and Tra Vinh University learn, research, and engage with local communities in response to climate change challenges

In the context of climate change posing urgent challenges to delta regions around the world, international cooperation in education, research, and knowledge exchange has become increasingly important. Although Vietnam and the Netherlands are geographically distant, the two countries share many similarities as delta nations strongly affected by sea level rise, saline intrusion, water resource fluctuations, and the pressures of sustainable development.

From January 4 to 16, 2026, Tra Vinh University collaborated with Saxion University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands, to organize an intensive academic and field-based exchange program in the Mekong Delta. The program brought together more than 40 Saxion students and lecturers, along with lecturers and students from Tra Vinh University, with the shared goal of learning, conducting research, and proposing feasible solutions to practical challenges facing the region.

Academic cooperation connected with local realities

The program was officially launched at Tra Vinh University on January 5, 2026, with the participation of the Saxion University delegation, including Prof. Harry Futselaar, Prof. Patrick de Lange, MSc. Han de Lange, and 40 international students. From Tra Vinh University, the program was attended by representatives of the School of Engineering and Technology, the Office of International Affairs, the Faculty of Environment, STARS Water Center, along with lecturers, staff members, and student volunteers.

Within the program, students from the two universities were divided into working groups to review their plans of action, define research problems, and develop solution directions. Learning and field survey activities took place in several localities across the Mekong Delta, including Vĩnh Long, Đồng Tháp, and Cần Thơ, helping students gain a more practical understanding of the region’s natural conditions, infrastructure, livelihoods, and environmental challenges.

The 2026 exchange journey focused on three main pillars: smart climate change adaptation, sustainable infrastructure, and the circular economy. Through field trips and group activities, students had the opportunity to explore urgent issues such as saline intrusion, sea level rise, water resource management, soft soil conditions, renewable energy, and green production models.

STARS Water Center – A hub for knowledge connection and green initiatives

As part of the program, the delegation visited and worked at STARS Water Solutions Center – Tra Vinh University. This was one of the key learning destinations where international students and lecturers had the opportunity to explore practical application models in the fields of water, the environment, and climate change adaptation.

At the Center, the delegation learned about several models, including the wastewater treatment park, where wastewater is treated and reused as a resource for agricultural purposes; the urban aquaponics model, which combines crop cultivation and aquaculture in a circular system; and other water technology solutions for research, training, and applied development.

Các mô hình tại STARS không chỉ mang ý nghĩa trình diễn kỹ thuật, mà còn là không gian học tập trải nghiệm, nơi sinh viên có thể quan sát cách lý thuyết được chuyển hóa thành giải pháp thực tiễn. Đây cũng là định hướng mà Trung tâm theo đuổi: trở thành môi trường kết nối tri thức, nghiên cứu ứng dụng và ươm mầm các sáng kiến xanh của thanh niên vì một Đồng bằng sông Cửu Long bền vững.

The models at STARS are not only technical demonstration systems, but also experiential learning spaces where students can observe how theory is transformed into practical solutions. This is also the direction pursued by the Center: to become an environment for knowledge connection, applied research, and the incubation of youth-led green initiatives for a sustainable Mekong Delta.

Strengthening Vietnam–Netherlands cooperation for the future of the Mekong

After two weeks of learning, field experiences, and engagement, the exchange program between Tra Vinh University and Saxion University of Applied Sciences concluded on January 15, 2026. More than an academic cooperation activity, the program served as a space for Vietnamese and Dutch students to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and develop problem-solving thinking in real-world contexts.

At the closing ceremony, Ms. Hanna Pors – Deputy Consul General emphasized that the knowledge exchange program demonstrated the power of international academic cooperation: when theory is connected with practice, when students learn from each other, and when young people are equipped to address global challenges with responsibility and creativity.

For STARS Water Center, this activity holds special significance in expanding the space for international cooperation and connecting students, researchers, and local communities. The connections, lessons, and inspiration gained from the program will continue to spread, contributing to the shared commitment of Vietnam and the Netherlands to building a resilient, adaptive, and sustainable Mekong Delta.