On 16 September 2025, based on the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Can Tho University and the University of Southampton in April 2025, and within the framework of the official visit between the two focal cooperation units, the Leadership Board of the Mekong Institute welcomed the delegation of the Sustainability & Resilience Institute (SRI), University of Southampton, UK, led by Professor Craig Hutton, Director of SRI.
During the meeting, the leadership of both sides shared and exchanged their strengths, visions, missions, and core values in institutional development, thereby identifying potential areas and advantages that could be leveraged to build long-term and in-depth strategies, programs, and collaborative projects. These will be closely linked to scientific research, postgraduate and short-course training, technology transfer and innovation, as well as the implementation of priority initiatives under Vietnam–UK cooperation.
As hubs for stakeholder engagement at each university, the Mekong Institute and SRI agreed to promote concrete collaborations in the following fields:
- Greenhouse gas emission reduction in agriculture, aquaculture, and related industries.
- Solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation.
- Application of remote sensing, GIS, machine learning, and artificial intelligence in biodiversity conservation, disaster risk reduction, and environmental hazard management.
- Fostering multilateral cooperation and networks to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, innovation, and science–technology transfer.
A “Digital Twins” platform is being developed to serve as a dynamic digital replica of both institutions, enabling continuous updates on joint activities. This platform will initially include:
- Academic Twins Initiative – connecting professional groups and experts to collaborate regularly in developing research topics, projects, and action plans in agreed areas.
- Training Twins Initiative – facilitating annual interdisciplinary undergraduate and postgraduate student exchanges, credit-transfer schemes in relevant disciplines, and joint training programs, particularly at the postgraduate level.
- Multilateralism Twins Initiative – creating activities and forums that connect regional and global stakeholders to strengthen action networks for the security, sustainability, and prosperity of the Mekong region.
In addition, the University of Southampton has expressed interest in establishing a training branch in Vietnam. With the foundation of ongoing collaborations with Can Tho University, the leadership of both institutes believe that continued support from the universities’ executives will foster expanded cooperation, moving toward shared goals of excellence in research, education, and technology transfer.
Alongside the meeting, the Mekong Institute leadership introduced several of the Institute’s signature spaces, including the history and development exhibition of the Mekong Institute, the rice genetic conservation bank, the wet-rice cultural exhibition, the experimental farming systems area, and the innovation hub. Professor Craig Hutton expressed his strong impression and support for enhancing these meaningful and practical spaces, recognizing their contribution to the strategic priorities between the UK and Vietnam.
This visit and working session of the SRI leadership once again reaffirmed the commitment of the Mekong Institute’s international partners to long-term cooperation agreements, while further strengthening the Institute’s role as a connector contributing to the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta and the wider Greater Mekong Subregion.
