On 5th July, Serdang - The Postgraduate Student Mobility Program for Food Safety and Quality Researchers (5THFOSMOB2024) was held from 5th to 9th May 2024 at Nong Lam University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This program was organized by the Food Safety and Integrity Laboratory (FoSFI) of the Tropical Agriculture and Food Security Institute (ITAFoS) and the Faculty of Food Science and Technology (FSTM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). The delegation was led by Associate Professor Dr. Nor Khaizura Mahmud@Ab Rashid, Head of the FoSFI Laboratory, ITAFoS, accompanied by 4 associate professors/researchers and 1 research officer from the FoSFI Laboratory, as well as 18 postgraduate students (PhD and Master's level) from ITAFoS and FSTM, UPM (list of participants attached).

This marks the 5th edition of the program and has previously been hosted in various international locations. The objectives of the program were:

1. To expand research collaboration opportunities in the field of food safety,
2. To enhance research cooperation and networks with international counterparts, specifically researchers from Nong Lam University,
3. To conduct scientific presentations and knowledge exchange through the Food Safety Colloquium, and
4. To conduct site visits to industry partners, namely Ho Chi Minh Institute of Public Health and Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh.

On the first day of the visit to Nong Lam University, the delegation was welcomed by Assoc. Prof. Tuyen Can Kha, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Food Technology, who delivered the opening remarks at the Food Safety Colloquium. During the colloquium, 17 participants from UPM and NLU gave oral presentations and 8 presented posters. Subsequently, a meeting session was held with the management team of Nong Lam University (NLU), attended by Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Thuy, Head of the Office of International Cooperation, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Tai Huan, Dean of the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Food Technology. Discussions included proposals for joint research projects, publication collaborations, and joint supervision of postgraduate students from both universities. NLU also proposed student exchange programs and offered opportunities for UPM postgraduate students to conduct research engagements at NLU. NLU also expressed interest in receiving training from UPM on halal chicken production methods for the Arab market. Further discussions and follow-ups on these proposals are necessary to advance research collaboration activities in the future. The renewal of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between UPM and NLU was also agreed upon during this discussion session. Furthermore, the group visited the research laboratories of the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Food Technology at NLU and had the opportunity to see the Product Development Pilot Plant Unit at the faculty.

Additionally, the visit to the Ministry of Health Institute of Public Health in Ho Chi Minh City provided valuable insights into national research conducted at the institute under the Ministry of Health, Vietnam. The delegation was welcomed by Dr. Dang Van Chinh, the Director of the institute, and department representatives. The group also visited the research laboratories and observed the research facilities at the institute. Furthermore, the visit to Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh facilitated discussions on research collaborations conducted at the institute. The delegation was hosted by the Director of the Center of Biomedical Analysis and Scientific Technical Services, and they had the opportunity to visit the research laboratories and appreciate the historical structure of the institute, which was built during the colonial era and is approximately 133 years old.

Overall, this mobility program successfully achieved its objectives. It is hoped that this program will benefit postgraduate students and researchers in producing high-quality research and enhancing UPM's international reputation. Moreover, collaborative research between UPM and NLU researchers should be continued and expanded to foster more research cooperation in the future, thereby enhancing UPM's visibility in food security.

The Food Safety and Quality Researchers Group and all participants involved in this program would like to express their gratitude for the support and approval from ITAFoS for organizing this program using funding from the Phase II Higher Education Centre of Excellence (HICoE) Program.

Date of Input: 19/07/2024 | Updated: 19/07/2024 | azimahs