Fifteen early and mid-career researchers from Vietnam have completed training in groundwater management at Flinders University and the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT) as part of their Australia Awards Fellowships.
Flinders University and the NCGRT coordinated the training under the leadership of Okke Batelaan, Strategic Professor in Hydrogeology; Fiona Adamson, Manager of NCGRT; and Andrea McCarthy, Marketing and Communication Officer in the College of Science and Engineering.
The Vietnamese fellows, who came from the National Centre for Water Resources Planning and Investigation, were given the opportunity to network with groundwater experts and alumni and consult them on groundwater issues relevant to Vietnam.
About the Flinders/NCGRT training
The bespoke training program innovated by Flinders and the NCGRT included:
The NCGRT’s four-day intensive groundwater training course in Canberra: ‘The Australian Groundwater School’
- One-on-one sessions with groundwater experts in Canberra and Adelaide to work through delegates’ own groundwater priorities
- Presentations from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, CSIRO, Australian Water Partnerships and the Australian National University in Canberra
- A guided field trip from Canberra to Adelaide to visit regional sites of hydrogeological significance and learn about groundwater management issues in the Murray-Darling Basin
- A guided field trip to the high rate algal pond at Kingston on Murray and the Banrock Station Wetlands Centre
- A guided field trip to the Parafield Wetland and Managed Aquifer Recharge Scheme
- A tour of Flinders’ Bedford Park campus to see the groundwater facilities and spend time with Flinders University groundwater experts
About the National Centre for Water Resources Planning and Investigation in Vietnam
The National Centre for Water Resources Planning and Investigation is a government-owned organisation led by the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
With 1,000 staff, its aim is to plan, investigate, monitor and protect water resources for the entire country of Vietnam.
Next steps
A delegation from Flinders University will visit Vietnam in April 2018 to determine future opportunities for professional development and partnership in groundwater science.