Associate Professor Ta Hai Tung, a lecturer at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology, has received the Italian Order of the Star, the noblest title bestowed on non-Italians for promoting sci-tech connections between Vietnam and Italy.

Italian Ambassador Antonio Alessandro on April 14 awarded the order of merit to Tung, head of the International Research Institute for Multimedia, Information, Communication and Applications (MICA) under the Hanoi University of Science and Technology.

The order, granted by Italian President Sergio Mattarella, is the noblest and most important reward, recognizing the contributions of non-Italian to the relations between Italy and other countries, Ambassador Antonio said.

He added that Tung obtained his master from the Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy before securing his PhD in Electronics and Telecommunications from the school in 2010.

Tung made continuous efforts during his master's studies in "Positioning and related applications" and his doctorate's research in Electronics and Telecommunication, the ambassador noted.

Italian Ambassador Antonio Alessandro awards the order of merit to Associate Professor Ta Hai Tung. Photo: Duy Thanh

“Tung has also contributed to the Italian research on the fields by writing many articles published in prestigious specialized journals,” said the ambassador.

Tung was director of the International Collaboration Center for Research and Development on Satellite Navigation Technology in South East Asia (NAVIS) from 2011 to 2018. NAVIS is an international center specializing in studying and applying satellite navigation technologies.

Under Tung’s leadership, NAVIS center soon became an excellent research institute in Vietnam and Southeast Asia in the field of global satellite positioning.

Tung has contributed greatly to positioning technology transfer in Vietnam, focusing on the European Galileo technology promotion and the cooperation with leading Italian companies in this field.

Tung was also the Co-Chairman of the Asian Positioning Organization - the largest satellite-based positioning organization in Asia and Oceania (from 2016 to 2019). He was awarded the Golden Globe Awards in 2013 by the Central Youth Union and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

"We highly value Tung's contributions in promoting international cooperation in science. It is a base to promote sustainable development and improve life quality in Vietnam and in any country that Tung has cooperation projects with," said Ambassador Alessandro.

For his part, Tung said living, studying and working in Italy gave him the opportunity to appreciate and promote cooperation between the two countries in many fields, especially culture and education.

"When returning to Vietnam, my partners and I have done our best to promote cooperation between the two nations in high-level scientific research and training for mutual benefit," Tung said.