ITAR Welcomes Professor Thomas Ziegler from the University of Cologne, Germany
On July 3, 2026, the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Research (ITAR) had the honor of welcoming Professor Thomas Ziegler from the University of Cologne and Cologne Zoological Garden, Germany, during his visit and working trip to Vietnam.
Professor Thomas Ziegler is an internationally recognized scientist who has made significant contributions to biodiversity conservation. With more than 500 international scientific publications in the fields of biodiversity, ecology, and conservation, he has conducted research in Vietnam for nearly three decades and contributed to the discovery of more than 100 species new to science.
His scientific and conservation work has contributed to the assessment and conservation status of numerous rare and endangered animal species, including their inclusion in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and relevant regulations of the Vietnamese Government. He has also initiated and participated in the development of a number of important biodiversity conservation programs and projects in Vietnam.
Photo: Professor Thomas Ziegler and Dr. Ngô Ngọc Hải with researchers and students at the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Research, Duy Tan University.
Professor Ziegler has also made important contributions to education and capacity building. He has supervised numerous Vietnamese doctoral students undertaking PhD programs with scholarships from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Notably, he was the principal supervisor of Dr. Ngô Ngọc Hải, currently working at ITAR, throughout his doctoral research and successful PhD defense at the University of Cologne.
Photo: Professor Thomas Ziegler, Dr. Ngô Ngọc Hải, and the Director of Cat Ba National Park during the program “Echoes of the Wild: Cat Ba – The Symphony of Life,” broadcast by VIETNAM TODAY Television on July 5, 2026.
Professor Ziegler’s visit provided an opportunity to reconnect with Dr. Ngô Ngọc Hải and discuss potential directions for future collaboration. The discussions highlighted opportunities to develop joint activities in education, scientific research, biodiversity conservation, and international networking, while strengthening cooperation among ITAR, the University of Cologne, and Cologne Zoological Garden.
The visit is expected to contribute to the development of high-quality research and training activities and to further strengthen international cooperation in biodiversity research and conservation between Vietnam and Germany.
