With the support of their universities in collaboration with many organizations, more and more Da Nang students have been actively engaged in the movement of scientific research, creativity and entrepreneurship to bring their creative ideas to fruition. Subsequently, many novel topics and projects are contributing to creating highly practical and useful products to meet market demands.

Students at the University of Technology and Education (UTE)- University of Da Nang (UD) are doing their research at the school's Maker Space. (Photo taken before the current COVID-19 resurgence)

An array of highly practical and useful products.

Under the guidance of lecturers from the University of Education (UED) under the University of Da Nang (UD), students here have done a host of valuable product research related to algae and fungi.

Typically, after 6 months of researching the recipe of combining Ganoderma, Trametes Versicolor with some kinds of flowers such as chrysanthemum, artichoke, stevia, a group of 5 students under the guidance of Master Nguyen Thi Bich Hang, a lecturer at the Department of Biology and Environment, finally launched a new medicinal mushroom tea bag product in April 2020.

So far, these talented students have achieved high results at start-up competitions not only thanks to this tea but also mushroom-based perfume products. With their high desire to bring the mushroom-flower ecosystem to reach the international market, they plan to research new mushroom flower-based product lines such as cake, wine, biological masks in the near future.

Similarly, the study on Air Quality Monitor of a group of students from the Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, the UTE- UD has reached the final round of ‘SV Startup 2020’.

According to student Le Dang Thai Phong, the main idea of this project stems from the fact of air quality deterioration in our living environment and the need for early warning of gas explosion hazards. To be equipped with data collector, processor and data transmission, the Monitor helps to capture all developments of the monitoring area, give warnings via specific web or app, helping users to control the level of danger in air quality or warn about the risk of gas explosions

Winging start-up activities for students

Aiming to develop the scientific research movement among students as well as turn paper-based topics and projects into highly applicable products, universities in Da Nang have continuously created favourable conditions for students via many practical activities.

As shared by Master Ngo Thi Hoang Van, Deputy Secretary of the Youth Union of the UED- UD, students' startup projects have been transferred to rural areas to support the building of start-up models of young people rurally over the past time. At the same time, the university also creates more conditions for students to participate in start-up and innovation exhibitions in a bid to promote projects widely to the market.

The UED is also a pioneer in using products from students’ startup projects, as well as earmark space to display these products and support students in connecting with businesses in need.
Meanwhile, the Maker Space of the Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering of the UTE- UD has been put into use since 2019 to serve the learning and research of students and teachers. Maker Space houses high-tech machines for students to approach and experience, arouse exploration, discovery, and turn ideas into products in reality.

Till date, Maker Space has witnessed a host of highly practical topics born such as lifting and moving equipment for patients and disabled people in hospitals;  remote-controlled disinfection robots; Lora network application in smart classroom management; trash bin system for the smart city, etc

According to Assoc. Prof. Le Van Huy, Vice-Rector of the University of Economics- UD, the university has connected Cork Institute of Technology and the Irish Aid Fund sponsored by the Irish Government to implement the project to incubate the school startup ecosystem since 2016.

Accordingly, the school annually organizes "Startup Runway" contests for territary students in Central Viet Nam.

“The environment and learning space in universities play an important role in fostering the spirit of creativity and start-up for students. However, it is necessary to form mechanisms of policies, support capital, product development to put students’ topics and projects into practice.”

Reporting by NGOC HA- Translating by T.VY