Awarding ceremony of the Medal "For the cause of education" to Prof. Dr. Guido De Roeck

On October 23, 2024, the Awarding Ceremony of the Medal "For the Cause of Education" to Prof. Dr. Guido De Roeck, KU Leuven, Belgium took place at the University of Transport and Communications. This is the most prestigious award of the education sector to honor foreign professors with many achievements and contributions to Vietnamese education.

Delegates attending the event took a commemorative photo with Prof. Dr. Guido De Roeck

Attending the ceremony were Prof. Dr. Guido De Roeck, KU Leuven, Belgium; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Hung - Director General of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Education and Training; Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Long – President; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Chuong - Party Committee Secretary, Chairman of the University Council; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Hoai Duc - Vice President; representatives of relevant faculties, functional departments and students from the Faculty of Civil Engineering.

Overview of the ceremony

Professor Guido De Roeck is an Emeritus Professor, a leading scientist in the field of structural engineering and Head of the Department of Structural Mechanics at KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. This is one of the prestigious research universities in Europe. In a career spanning several decades, Professor De Roeck has made significant contributions to the development of the theory and application of structural dynamics, especially the study of the vibrational behavior of structures.

His research interests span a wide range of areas, including static and dynamic analysis of structures, damage detection by vibration monitoring, dynamic system identification, soil-structure interaction, finite element methods, etc.

In which, the research direction is on structural dynamic analysis and structural health monitoring, with special emphasis on vibration-based structural health monitoring (SHM). These methods play an important role in early detection of potential structural damage, thereby helping to implement timely maintenance measures, ensuring the longevity and safety of important infrastructure works.

During his career, Professor De Roeck has published numerous scientific papers in leading international journals and attended prestigious scientific conferences worldwide. His work has been widely cited, demonstrating the influence of his research. He has also led numerous large-scale research projects, funded by national and international organizations, in collaboration with scientists, engineers, and research institutions throughout Europe and the world, contributing to expanding the boundaries of knowledge in the field of structural engineering.

In addition to his research, Professor De Roeck is also passionate about education and training. At KU Leuven, he has supervised many doctoral students, many of whom have continued achieving great success in their post-doctoral careers. He also teaches important subjects such as structural analysis, vibration theory and advanced monitoring techniques, preparing the next generation of engineers to face the complex challenges of modern infrastructure systems.

For his outstanding contributions to the field of structural engineering, Professor De Roeck has received numerous awards and honors. His leadership and dedication have helped strengthen his position as a key figure in the field of structural engineering and his research continues to have a profound impact on the design, analysis and maintenance of structures worldwide.

Professor Guido De Roeck has made significant contributions to improving the quality of structural engineering education and research in Vietnam, especially through his collaboration with the Faculty of Civil Engineering, UTC. His efforts focus on knowledge transfer, research collaboration and professional training for Vietnamese researchers and engineers on advanced methods in structural health analysis and monitoring.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Hung - Director General of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Education and Training, awarded the "For the cause of education" medal to Prof. Dr. Guido De Roeck

He has been training four PhD students from UTC and HUCE, making an important contribution to fostering the professional capacity of researchers on structural dynamics and structural health monitoring in Vietnam. In addition, Professor De Roeck has participated in two bilateral research projects between Vietnam and Belgium with UTC, co-authoring more than 20 scientific articles published in prestigious international journals, together with Vietnamese researchers. This cooperation has played an essential role in bringing advanced technologies on structural health monitoring (SHM) to Vietnam, especially vibration-based assessment methods for infrastructure – an important factor in ensuring the safety and longevity of the developing national infrastructure system, including bridges and high-rise buildings.

Not only limited to research, Professor De Roeck is also actively involved as a keynote speaker and scientific advisor at many scientific conferences and seminars organized by the department. He is also the Chairman of the International Scientific Committee of the International Conference on Sustainability Construction Engineering (ICSCE) in 2018, 2020 and 2022. Professor De Roeck is also a co-author of the ICSCE 2020 and 2022 conference proceedings, published by Springer, further strengthening his influence on the engineering research community in Vietnam.

Professor De Roeck’s mentorship also extends to seminars and advanced training programs, where he shares his expertise in structural dynamics and advanced monitoring technologies with Vietnamese lecturers, engineers, and students. Many of his PhD students have returned to Vietnam, applying the knowledge and skills they have learned to improve the quality of the country’s transport infrastructure.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Hung - Director General of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Education and Training, delivered a speech.

Speaking at the ceremony, Associate Professor Dr. Pham Quang Hung - Director General of the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Education and Training acknowledged and thanked Professor Guido De Roeck for his affection for universities in the field of civil engineering and highly appreciated the dedication, enthusiasm and active cooperation of Professor De Roeck personally throughout the past journey; helping the cooperative relationship between the parties become stronger. His cooperation and efforts to share knowledge have contributed to promoting sustainable development in the field of engineering in Vietnam and building long-term cooperative relationships between KU Leuven , universities in Belgium and educational institutions in Vietnam. The "For the cause of education" medal that Professor Guido De Roeck received today is the most noble award of the education sector to honor and recognize that dedication.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Long - President of the University gave a speech.

Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Long - President of the University sent his warmest congratulations to Prof. Guido De Roeck on the occasion of his being awarded the Medal for the Cause of Education - the most noble award for lecturers and scientists for their practical contributions in terms of effort and intelligence to the cause of education in general. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Long expressed his hope that Prof. Guido De Roeck will continue accompanying the development of the University of Transport and Communications.

Professor Guido De Roeck gave a speech at the Ceremony.

Receiving the Medal “For the Cause of Education”, Professor Guido De Roeck expressed his emotion and pride. He expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Education and Training and the University of Transport and Communications, wishing to continue to contribute more practical actions to pursue the cause of education and contribute to the development of the University of Transport and Communications.

Leaders of the University of Transport and Communications presented souvenirs to congratulate Professor Guido De Roeck

Professor Guido De Roeck presented souvenirs to leaders of the Ministry of Education and Training and leaders of the University of Transport and Communications.

Lecturers from the University of Transport and Communications who have been the students of Professor Guido De Roeck presented flowers to congratulate him.

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