Experts workshop ideas for research-based green master’s curriculum

Government officials joined National University of Laos (NUOL) and partner organisation representatives at a workshop recently to exchange ideas on the draft curriculum for the Master of Science Programme on Green Innovation for Environmental Management (GIEM).
This master’s degree is different from other current postgraduate studies because it will provide the first research-based curriculum.
Centre of Environmental Excellence (CoEE) at NUOL and the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) organised the two-day workshop which was chaired by Vice President of NUOL, Assoc. Prof. Dr Somchanh Bounphanmy and IRD coordinator of higher education projects in Laos, Dr Christian Hartmann.
The workshop was fully supported by IRD, which has the objective of favouring institutional development of research teams and higher education curriculums, and their integration in the global research world.
Representatives from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, faculty members of the CoEE, NUOL Office of Research and Academic Services, NUOL Post-Graduate Study Office, and scientists and specialists from the University of Paris-Est-Créteil (UPEC) and National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS-France) attended the workshop.
Director of the CoEE, Dr Santi Kongmany, presented the approach of the 1st five-year action plan (2019-2024) at the workshop by which the centre will achieve its aims.
The CoEE’s objectives include developing laboratories in accordance with international standards, enhancing the research capacity and education quality of NUOL and developing and strengthening partnerships with universities/institutes (international and national), government agencies, industries and communities.
“This workshop is an important step in the development of the master’s curriculum on GIEM,” Dr Santi said. “This curriculum will help to enhance the research capacity and improve the quality of knowledge, skills, professionalism, and ethics in science, technology and innovation. It is also anticipated that it will increase the ranking of NUOL by increasing the number of international publications,” he explained.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update December 11, 2019)