Monash Memo - 29 August 2001

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Building bridges in future links

A group of 15 academics from Vietnam is visiting Monash this month to study teaching techniques and laboratory facilities in the Faculty of Engineering.

The group, from the University of Transport and Communication in Ho Chi Mihn City, is undertaking the visit as part of a US$19 million World Bank-sponsored internship project aimed at improving engineering standards in Vietnam.

Professor Bill Young from the Civil Engineering department said Monash was pleased to be involved in the work of the group and was delighted the group had chosen to come to Monash to study its techniques and facilities.

He said the visit would strengthen the links between the two institutions, which had started in 1996 when Monash signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UTC.

“Monash has worked as consulting engineers with the Vietnamese Ministry of Transport on a major project in Vietnam – the building of the Mythuan Bridge, which was the first Super-T bridge in Vietnam.

“As well, we recently had a high-level visiting delegation from the UTC that included its dean and director,” Professor Young said.

“UTC is a key institution involved in the development of Vietnam’s transport and communications infrastructure. The country’s infrastructure needs are growing rapidy and they have chosen to develop links with Monash to foster their development activities.

“They are developing skills and laboratory facilities for the UTC and they chose us, as a the preeminent university in this area, to come along and study our teaching techniques and facilities.”

The visiting academics are taking part in a three-week training course at Monash, mainly in civil and electrical engineering but with opportunities to further study facilities in the areas of mechanical engineering and construction.