On the morning of April 2, 2024, Eastern International University (EIU) in collaboration with Singapore Polytechnic (SP) organised the opening ceremony of the Learning Express Programme (LeX), aiming to create an environment for learning, real-life experiences, and positive community impact, as well as to facilitate interaction, exchange, and connection among students from both institutions.
Attending the opening ceremony were the LeX project coordinators and lecturers from SP: Dr. Zhi Qiang CAI, Mr. Ong Chai Lin, Ms. Jolene Ong, Mr. Tan Kah Keng, along with 29 students from various fields of study participating in the project. They were welcomed by Mr. Kieu Manh Kha – Director of the Office of International Affairs, along with lecturers from the Becamex Business School, School of Engineering, School of Computing and Information Technology, and 30 EIU students.
SP and EIU students took commemorative photos together
Speaking at the event, Mr. Ong Chai Lin – representing SP, expressed his joy at the opportunity to return to Vietnam and collaborate with EIU in this community project. He emphasised that Design Thinking would accompany the students throughout the journey. Moreover, he hoped that students would work together to achieve common goals, and the project would bring positive values to the Vietnamese community.
Before officially embarking on the experiential journey, SP students were briefed on an overview of Vietnam, the living environment in Binh Duong New City, and famous tourist destinations and specialties of Binh Duong province. On this occasion, students also had the opportunity to visit the learning environment and the innovative ecosystem at EIU, including the Library, EIU – ARIS Cyber Security Center, Fablab, SEMBCORP – EIU Center For Sustainable Solutions, Industry 4.0 Innovation Center, etc.
SP students visited the learning environment at EIU
In the afternoon of the same day, SP and EIU students had their first group work session using the Design Thinking method under the guidance of SP coordinators and listened to data analysis for the research project by SP students. Additionally, guest speaker Mr. Vo Anh Khoa – Deputy Head of HR Department at Becamex IDC, Operations Director at Block71 Saigon, shared insights on the development and transformation of Binh Duong province, as well as the innovative ecosystem of Becamex.
The LeX project took place from April 1 to April 12, 2024. After the opening ceremony, students were divided into three groups to participate in community projects in Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc provinces, with each group consisting of 10 EIU students and 9-10 SP students. Specifically, they would explore and apply Design Thinking methods to develop ideas, models, and solutions for clean pomelo gardens in Binh Long town, Binh Phuoc province; waste management in Becamex Dinh Hoa social housing area; and propose solutions to increase bus usage for children aged 6 to 10.
Guest speaker – Mr. Vo Anh Khoa shared at the event
The LeX community project will be an exciting experience for all students from both universities as they collaborate and work together in a dynamic and creative learning environment. Through real-life issues, students will enhance their problem-solving skills and gain awareness of activities that positively contribute to community development. Additionally, EIU aims to provide opportunities for its students to interact with different cultures through connections with international students. It is hoped that, after the project concludes, SP and EIU students will learn more interesting knowledge and further strengthen the friendship between Vietnamese students and international students. Furthermore, this is also an opportunity for EIU to develop collaborative relationships with SP specifically and universities in Singapore in general.
The LeX community experience programme by Singapore Polytechnic (SP) is a multi-national programme that utilises Design Thinking methods to address real-life issues and improve the quality of life in local communities. By participating in LeX, students from both countries will embark on a 12-day journey to explore real-life situations and themselves, thereby enhancing their knowledge, skills, and fostering international friendships.
Here are some images from the program
