14/10/2026
International scientific Symposium Held at the Biological Museum, Hanoi University of Science
On October 8, 2026, Kyoto University Museum and VNU Hanoi University of Science co-hosted the international scientific symposium “Building the Asia–Pacific University Museum Network”, as part of the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the Biological Museum and the 70th anniversary of the Faculty of Biology at Hanoi University of Science.
Approximately 150 participants joined from Japan (including seven members from Kyoto University), the Philippines, Laos, Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, and various institutions across Vietnam. The symposium featured active discussions on the future of university museums and the value of collections-based research.
The opening ceremony included remarks by Prof. Le Thanh Son, Rector of Hanoi University of Science, and Prof. Masanaru Takai, Director of Kyoto University Museum, who emphasized the importance of international collaboration among university museums and the advancement of research grounded in specimens and collections.
In the keynote session, Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Thanh Nam, Director of the Biological Museum, Hanoi University of Science, Prof. Masaharu Motokawa, Kyoto University Museum, delivered keynote lectures on the history of their museums and the significance of building an international university museum network.
In the afternoon, two parallel sessions—“From Nature to the Biological Museum” and “Museology”—featured 14 oral presentations and a general discussion. Topics included the academic value of specimens and collections, applications of new technologies, and future directions for international collaboration.
This symposium marks the beginning of a full-scale initiative to establish a university museum network across the Asia–Pacific region.