Achievements

The Dean of the DTU Faculty of Architecture Dr. Le Vinh An and his colleagues were awarded first prize at the “Innovation in Architecture Project Teaching” conference, held in Vung Tau from October 16th to 22nd.. Their project involved a study of the development of the Ben Dinh fishing village in Vung Tau and the preservation of the village traditions. The project was selected by the Vietnam Association of Architects, the Association of Vietnamese Schools of Architecture schools, and 28 lecturers from 14 institutions nationwide.

 

The conference brings together schools involved in architecture training across Vietnam so that lecturers and architects can share information and experiences. The DTU team developed its teaching methods by applying the international CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement and Operate) model. The attendees highly appreciated the group’s project, which helps students develop their creative thinking to solve practical problems comprehensively and effectively. Since 2012, CDIO has also been used at DTU to teach technology and engineering majors and has proven successful in urban planning projects, which architecture students are required to take in their fourth or fifth year.

 

“This event is important as its objective is to improve architecture education in Vietnam,” said Dr. Vinh An. “If could only relive my time as an architecture research student at Waseda University in Tokyo, many years back, with my passion for study and teamwork, and the ability to create and to express myself. This conference gives me a better understanding of the professional responsibilities of a teacher giving wings to the dreams and aspirations of future architects.”

The Vietnam Association of Architects Vice-Chairman Associate Professor Nguyen Quoc Thong suggested that training activities, conferences and exchanges should soon be organized at an architecture institution in Central Vietnam. The prime candidate brought forward was DTU, in Danang, which has a strong reputation in architectural education already, especially because of its collaborations with California State University, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, one of the leading universities in architecture in the US. The very first advanced, international joint architecture programs were developed in 2010–2011, with annual exchanges of students and lecturers with other regional universities, such as Singapore Polytechnic and Universitas Islam Indonesia.

DTU is still looking to cooperate in education, research and exchange activities in architecture both nationally and abroad. For more information about the DTU the programs see: DTU Architecture - A Creative Major.