Professor Philippe Lours signed and presented a copy of The Heart of Crystalline Materials to HUMG’s Information and Library Centre during his visit in January 2026
In his classes for students in the Advanced Programme in Chemical Engineering, Professor Lours guided students through the world of materials, from the structure and bonding within solids to the changes and fatigue that metals undergo during use. Through these lessons, students explored the factors that influence material properties and durability, and how these relate to practical engineering problems. Alongside his lectures, he delivered a seminar on material failure analysis, attended by lecturers, researchers and interested students.
Professor Philippe Lours taught students in the Advanced Programme in Chemical Engineering at HUMG
Professor Philippe Lours delivered a seminar on material failure analysis at HUMG
Beyond materials science, Professor Lours also devoted time to introducing Erasmus+ and the English-taught programmes at IMT Mines Albi. He encouraged HUMG students to strengthen their foreign language skills, deepen their subject knowledge and pursue study opportunities abroad with confidence.
Professor Philippe Lours posed for a photo with HUMG lecturers and students after presenting Erasmus+ and study opportunities at IMT Mines Albi
Four HUMG students are already experiencing these opportunities firsthand in Albi. In September 2026, Trương Ngọc Toan, Hồ Hữu Tiến, Nguyễn Hữu Bách and Nguyễn Trọng Huy began a one-year exchange programme at IMT Mines Albi with full Erasmus+ scholarships. While the four students continue to settle into academic life in Albi, their fellow students in Hanoi have had the opportunity to learn about the very programme in which they are participating.
Reflecting on his experience, Nguyễn Hữu Bách, a student from the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, shared:
“What has impressed me most at IMT Mines Albi is how closely learning is connected to practice. Through business case studies, simulation software and real-world projects, I have gradually shifted from studying just to pass exams towards learning to explore, ask questions and find solutions. Having learned that Professor Philippe Lours was teaching and introducing Erasmus+ at HUMG, I hope my fellow students will be bold enough to seize these opportunities and not let their initial concerns stop them from exploring a new learning environment.”
Nguyễn Hữu Bách was photographed at Cité de l’espace in Toulouse, France, beside models of the Apollo Lunar Module and the Ariane 5 rocket
The Heart of Crystalline Materials now has a place on HUMG’s bookshelves. Yet the knowledge shared and the opportunities opened up through encounters with Professor Lours will accompany students on journeys beyond HUMG. Perhaps a lecture or a conversation during this visit will give more HUMG students the inspiration and confidence to pursue their studies further afield.