Academic Exchange Program between the Faculty of Environment and Labour Safety (ENLABSAFE), TDTU and the School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)

The Faculty of Environment and Labour Safety (ENLABSAFE), Ton Duc Thang University (TDTU), in collaboration with the School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), successfully organized the TDTU–USM Academic Exchange Program 2025, held from 27 October to 14 November 2025. The program brought together more than 40 students from USM and ENLABSAFE, who participated across both the online and on-site activities, fostering an open, dynamic, and internationally connected academic environment.

During the online phase, students from the two institutions joined eight co-teaching sessions delivered under four thematic areas: Sustainable Building & Environmental Efficiency (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Rodzi Bin Ismail – USM, Dr. Nguyen Thi Hien – TDTU); Resilient Infrastructure (Dr. Faizal Baharum – USM, Dr. Le To Quyen – TDTU); Innovative & Green Construction Materials (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hanizam Awang – USM, Dr. Doan Thi Kim Quyen – TDTU); and Safety, Risk & Heritage in the Built Environment (Dr. Norhidayah Md Ulang – USM, Dr. Ninh Xuan Huy – TDTU). The active participation of students from both universities established a shared academic rhythm and meaningful engagement before transitioning to the on-site component.

On 14 November 2025, the delegation of HBP lecturers and students arrived at TDTU for the face-to-face activities. Opening remarks by Dr. Ho Ngo Anh Dao (Dean of ENLABSAFE – TDTU) and Dr. Noor Halizah Abdullah (USM) set the direction for a day of in-depth academic exchange. Students from the two institutions presented their joint group work and received scholarly feedback from faculty members. The program continued with thematic presentations by Dr. Vu Duc Canh, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Leong Lee Vien, Dr. Noor Halizah Abdullah, and Dr. Siti Shahirah Saidin offer insightful perspectives on sustainable construction, resilient infrastructure, and safety–heritage issues in the built environment.

The program concluded with a discussion session on future collaboration and cultural exchange activities between students from both universities, leaving a strong impression of academic cohesion and international engagement. The success of this initiative reaffirmed the role of ENLABSAFE – TDTU and HBP – USM in promoting regional academic cooperation, while opening new opportunities for joint research, training activities, and student exchange in the future.

The following are some highlights from the program: