At the event. Photo: Australian Embassy to Vietnam

Under this initiative, the Rapido – a commercialisation model developed by University of Technology Sydney (UTS) will be introduced to Vietnam National University (VNU) and applied in rural, disadvantaged communities to address water pollution challenges. IoT and data engineering technologies for water systems will be developed to remove arsenic from water in the Red River delta provinces, and enhanced water monitoring systems will provide lobster farmers with real time data in Phu Yen.

The Rapido model will make innovative technologies more accessible to small and medium enterprises in Vietnam by unleashing existing research capabilities of universities and research institutes. UTS will collaborate with partners to ensure efficient and authentic technology transfer, creating a working model for innovation in Vietnam.

The project will improve quality of life and aquaculture practice in these areas, and is expected to be scaled up across Vietnam thereafter.

It is the result of a fruitful collaboration between UTS and leading Vietnamese universities, including University of Engineering and Technology, Vietnam National University, and Ho Chi Minh University of Technology.

The Aus4Innovation programme is co-funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and InnovationXchange, managed by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and in strategic collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam.

It is a four-year flagship programme between 2018 and 2022, aiming to help strengthen the Vietnamese innovation system and prepare for Vietnam’s economic and digital future./.