Vietnam's University of Science awards honorary professorship to Japanese scientist

On Tuesday, Assoc. Prof. Tran Le Quan, president of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Science, said the university had awarded an honorary professorship to a Japanese professor.

The university's first honorary professor

Norimichi Takenaka is the first recipient of an honorary professorship from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Science.

"Professor Norimichi Takenaka has made significant contributions not only to our academic work but also as a long-standing friend and partner of the university, particularly in atmospheric chemistry and air pollution," said Quan.

The honorary professorship recognizes Takenaka's contributions to education, scientific research, academic exchanges and cooperation between the Ho Chi Minh City University of Science and Osaka Metropolitan University over more than two decades.

The collaboration between Takenaka and scientists and faculty members at the university began in 2004. 

Over the past two decades, he has supervised, co-supervised and provided professional support to faculty members, doctoral and graduate students, and undergraduates in the university's Faculty of Environment.

Takenaka has also helped connect Vietnamese researchers with laboratories, research institutions and partners in Japan, providing opportunities for young researchers and students to study, intern and conduct research there.

Researching air quality in Ho Chi Minh City

One of the most notable aspects of the collaboration has been research into air quality in Ho Chi Minh City.

Takenaka and scientists from the university's Faculty of Environment have studied, measured and analyzed various air pollutants, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), HONO, NOx, carbonyl compounds and ammonia.

The research has helped strengthen the scientific expertise, research capacity and international publications of the faculty's scientists.

Building on their research collaboration, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Science (HCMUS) and Osaka Metropolitan University (OMS) have expanded their partnership to include academic exchange programs.

The OMU-HCMUS Summer Exchange Program has been running since 2012. 

In 2024, the two universities launched the OMU-HCMUS Spring Exchange Program, while the Sakura Science Exchange Program has also continued annually.

As of 2026, these programs have supported nearly 100 faculty members, doctoral students, graduate students and undergraduates from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Science in traveling to Japan. 

In return, nearly 100 professors, graduate students and undergraduates from Japan have visited Vietnam to teach, conduct research and participate in academic exchanges.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City University of Science, awarding the honorary professorship to Takenaka not only recognizes his contributions to science and education but also reflects the development of Vietnam-Japan academic cooperation from professional connections into a broader network of exchanges among faculty members, scientists and students.