SYDNEY, May 17 (Xinhua) -- A new joint research center involving Australian and Vietnamese universities is set to tap major emerging technologies, including smart cities and advanced farming, to drive development and innovation on both sides.
The tie-up between the University of Technology Sydney and Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology aims to "harness an abundant and highly-skilled workforce whose development will be supported by experts in Vietnam and Australia," the Sydney-based university said in a statement on Thursday.
Under the collaboration, research associates will be recruited in Vietnam annually to spend a year at the center before heading to Sydney for an additional stint at the Australian university.
"Our goal in Ho Chi Minh City is to build a hub for university-industry research collaboration ... We are looking forward to being a part of the vibrant, growing technology sector in Ho Chi Minh City," said Professor Ian Burnett, dean of the Sydney university's faculty of engineering and information technology.
Apart from the development of cities and farming, the faculty has also identified cybersecurity and the Internet of Things connectivity framework as key areas for bilateral cooperation, following consultations with Vietnamese government ministries, city councils and national-level hi-tech parks.
The Australian university will also work with the Saigon Hi-Tech Park, which is positioned as a regional model of technological innovation in southern Vietnam.
"We aim to expand our research cooperation and collaboration with industry, explore new approaches to bridging university-industry divides and work together on technology advances relevant to both countries," Burnett said.
