MEMORIES TOWARD HOPE

Since the lapse of time dims the memory of a man, I decided to recollect the beginning of our cooperation between Hanoi University of Technology (HUT) and Chungnam National University (CNU) using this opportunity of celebrating the 15th anniversary of ITIMS.

Congratulations!

It was Nov. 17, 2001 that I stepped on the ground of Vietnam for the first time at Noi Bai airport. The visit was the fruit of the working level contacts with Prof. Hoa and Trung in the International Affairs Office for the past months. I had a vague longing, maybe out of curiosity, for travels and as well a desire to communicate with people in the world. When pursuing my PhD in the United States, I enjoyed working with students from different countries. Thus, I would like to invite students from the world if I met such opportunity after my return. Fortunately I could foresee the near future policy of Korea at that time of accelerating communication and trade with other countries, and particularly with Asian countries. I like people who are sincere and diligent out of pride and had such prejudice about Vietnamese through the Vietnam War, so I chose Vietnam as the partner. Also I might in a sense need a payback to a guilty feeling about Koreans who unwillingly had to join the war and did something unpleasant as happen in all the battles.

So our agreement became under test after the agreement signed on Nov. 19, 2001 between Vice Rector Prof. Banh Tien Long of HUT and Dean of the College Prof. Joo. The two key acting plans were the joint symposium and student exchange. Our cooperation was not limited to ITIMS, but in realistic sense, it was the dedicated partner. Actually it was my luck that ITIMS is located inside of HUT. The ITIMS is the most advanced research and education institute in the materials field in Vietnam. It recruits the best students in Vietnam with a very high level semiconductor processing facilities.

Korea delegation participating in the 2nd Vietnam-Korea Joint Symposium at Hanoi in 2003.

Based on the agreement, we held the 1st Vietnam-Korea Joint Symposium in Daejeon in Nov. 2002. The 2nd and 3rd Symposiums were followed in 2003 and 2004 in Vietnam and Korea, respectively. During the period, I also had a chance to visit Hanoi to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the ITIMS in 2002 while the HUT members visited CNU for the 50th anniversary of CNU in 2002 and the 55th anniversary in 2007. We agreed then to hold the symposium biannually, and the 4th Symposium was held in 2006 jointly as a part of the 50th anniversary of HUT. So we now expect the 5th Symposium to be held at CNU in the coming year 2008. In the meantime, a couple of research cooperation was also made through the Local Lab program in 2004 and 2006 through the support of KOSEF in Korea. We hoped the trials to the foundation stone for a bigger and better one in future.

In the side of student exchange, we agreed with regular and sandwich programs for Vietnam students’ guidance. At present, about 30 Vietnam students are registered in CNU, and more than 10 students from ITIMS are pursuing the PhD course in the materials related field. My department already produced five Vietnamese PhD graduates. They are hardworking diligent people and quickly catch up the life in Korea. They publish many paper articles. The department of Materials in CNU has been doing very well to maintain its high rank, and the Vietnamese students play a major role for the department reputation.

Although it was not very long, we have been doing quite well. I believe such good relationship relies on mutual benefits, which produce trust and in turn creates friendship. Should it be the key ingredient in the sister-university relationship? Using this opportunity I would like to express my sincere thanks for the labors towards the friendship to Prof. Hien, Prof. Chien, Prof. Huy at ITIMS and Prof. Hoa and Prof. Trung at the International Affairs Office, and other participants. Now we have the future to chase and decorate. I want to do this with hope.

Again, I congratulate the 15th anniversary of ITIMS.

November 2007
Author: Dojin Kim,
Prof. School of Nanotechnology
Chungnam National University, Korea