Department of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering

Department of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering

The predecessor of the present Department of Hydraulic and Hydropower Construction was established in 1958, a specialized Department of the Faculty of Construction, Hanoi University of Science and Technology.

Regarding the organization, from the Department of Water Resources, due to the need for development, it was once separated into 2 departments: Water Engineering and Hydropower and then into 3 departments: Water Engineering, Hydropower, Water Resources Construction. From the end of 1983, all 3 departments were merged into one department called the Department of Hydropower Construction. In 2001, due to the need for training, the Department once again changed its name to the Department of Water Resources Construction – Hydropower as it is today.

Over the years, the Department has contributed to the training of nearly 3,000 engineers, masters, and doctors in the field of Irrigation and Hydropower, who have been working in all provinces, cities, construction sites, factories, and plants nationwide, and in departments, offices, and institutes under central agencies.

In addition to teaching, the Department has taken care of building facilities for teaching, compiling curriculum, textbooks, reference materials, project guidance materials, graduation designs, contributing effectively to serving production, scientific research, and applying scientific and technological advances into practice. Each member of the Department has strived to improve their expertise and cultivate moral qualities to be worthy of being a Socialist teacher.

Up to now, the Department has:

• 1 People’s Teacher, 7 Excellent Teachers.
• 7 Professors, 15 Associate Professors, 3 Senior Lecturers.
• 2 Doctors of Science, 28 PhDs, 15 Masters.
• The Department has repeatedly achieved the title of Socialist Labor Group.
• In 1989, the State awarded the Third Class Labor Medal .

Since 1982, the department has been officially assigned the task of training postgraduates (Masters and PhDs). A number of staff have successfully defended their PhD theses: Pham Phu, Hoang Dinh Dung, Pham Hong Nhat, Vu Huu Hai, Luu Tien Kim, Nguyen Thuong Bang, …

The effective participation of the department at the Hoa Binh and Yaly hydropower construction sites; scientific contributions in the field of dikes, scientific research projects closely linked to reality; contributions in the selection of the Son La hydropower cascade; Review of the Technical Design of Son La and Lai Chau hydropower plants, practical activities in the design and construction of small hydropower stations for localities… etc. has affirmed the role of the Hydropower Construction department in the field of hydraulic science and energy.

The maturity of the department is closely linked to the training process and the maturity of students after graduation. Everywhere in the country, in the field of Irrigation – Hydropower construction, students of the department have asserted themselves and completed their assigned tasks well and have been recognized by society.

The growth of the department is also associated with the birth of the country’s major irrigation projects: Bac Hung Hai Irrigation Project, major hydroelectric projects such as Thac Ba, Hoa Binh, Tri An, Thac Mo, Yaly, Song Hinh, Son La, Lai Chau, …

With a total of more than 80 members who have worked in the Department, including a teacher who is no longer here. The current Department has a mix of old and young generations. The younger generation is making great efforts to maintain the career that the older generations have worked hard to build so that the old bamboo and the young bamboo can continue to grow, success after success in the 21st century.

The Department of Hydraulic – Hydropower Construction has been responsible for training engineers specializing in Hydraulic – Hydropower, including teaching specialized subjects, guiding project projects on Hydraulic – Hydropower – Construction (6 projects for each course), guiding tours, worker internships and technical staff internships, guiding graduation projects, and chairing Graduation Project Evaluation Councils. Up to now, the number of students who have graduated in the major of Hydraulic – Hydropower is up to more than 2,000 engineers, masters, and doctors (including one course of Hydraulic Engineering (1967, 1972).

In addition, the Department has participated in teaching classes for students in other majors such as Port – Waterway, Water Environment, Construction Economics, Civil Engineering, Selected Engineers (for mountainous areas), Construction Engineers (high quality), etc.

Besides the regular system, the department also offers part-time training, specialized training, pre-training classes, and advanced training classes.

Many staff in the Department have participated in guiding graduate and doctoral students, chaired or served as members of the State Council for evaluating doctoral theses, and reviewed many doctoral theses.

The subjects taught by the Department are: Hydraulics, Hydraulic Energy, Hydrology, Hydraulic Machines, Water Turbines, Pumps and Pumping Stations, Hydroelectric Plant Construction, Irrigation, Irrigation Planning, Concepts of Irrigation Industry, Comprehensive Use of Water Resources, Technical Foundations of Hydraulic Works, Hydraulic Construction (Construction of Earthworks, Concrete Works, Construction Organization, Fire Safety), Automation of Hydraulic Works Design, Hydroelectric Stations, Hydroelectric Plants, Works on Hydroelectric Station Power Lines, Concrete and Reinforced Concrete, Construction Machinery, Fire Safety, Foundation Soil Mechanics.

Currently, the department is continuing to research the development directions of current issues of the country such as responding to and minimizing risks due to the impact of climate change, researching and assessing the impact of natural disasters, assessing flood-risk areas and new technologies in the world. Participating in assessing the safety of large dams. Researching the direction of building future hydraulic works to meet the development needs of the country as well as the industry.

Head of professional group: Dr. Nguyen Phuong Lam