Measuring air-quality data — the foundation for action on the SDGs
There is a simple yet profound saying: “When we understand the air we breathe, we’re better equipped to change it”. That is the spirit behind one of FPT University’s standout sustainability activities: international collaboration to gather and measure air-quality data. Every environmental action must start from data and reliable data calls for trusted global partners.
Since 2024, FPTU has integrated air-quality monitoring into its Sustainable Development Strategy, aiming for Net Zero by 2040. Rather than merely “understanding” air pollution, the university resolved to actively “measure and manage” it a necessary step as air quality becomes a growing concern in many Vietnamese cities.
Partnering with IQAir and international-standard measurement technology
FPTU partnered with IQAir – Switzerland’s leading air-quality technology group, founded in 1963, renowned for HyperHEPA filtration and the global-scale AirVisual data platform. Notably, IQAir is a technology partner of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), playing an important role in building the global air data system. Partnering with such an organisation makes FPTU’s work a link in an international environmental-data network.
The university chose AirVisual devices, both indoor (AVI) and outdoor (AVO), made in Switzerland to European quality standards. Though compact (just 0.9kg) and easy to operate, each device integrates high-precision sensor modules displaying 7 real-time parameters: PM2.5, PM1.0, PM10 fine dust, temperature, humidity, air pressure and the Air Quality Index (AQI). More importantly, FPTU registered as a “contributor”, sharing its stations’ data to iqair.com, the global real-time air-quality monitoring platform.
Gathering data through a 5-station monitoring network across 5 campuses
Installation rolled out step by step in 2025, with each station connected to large campus screens displaying the data. In March 2025, the first station went live at the HCMC campus (map name: HCM – FPT Thu Duc). In May 2025, the Can Tho campus came online (Cantho – FPT Uni). In June 2025, two stations in Qui Nhon and Da Nang followed (Quynhon – FPT Uni and Danang – FPT Uni). By November 2025, the fifth system was completed at the Hoa Lac – Hanoi campus (Hanoi – FPT Uni), closing a network covering all five campuses nationwide and sharing data with the world.
Measuring and analysing air-quality data at each campus
Each station not only provides numbers reflecting local environmental characteristics but also comes with an interesting story. In Can Tho, it is the first monitoring station not just for the city but for a large region including Long Xuyen, Rach Gia, Soc Trang…, its data has significantly helped make local climate models more accurate. In Da Nang and Qui Nhon, readings are often lower than nearby stations, demonstrating the positive effect of campus greenery in cutting fine dust; in Qui Nhon in particular, the AQI at times fell to 6, near zero, a result so impressive that FPTU Qui Nhon received congratulations from IQAir itself.
In HCMC, air quality spikes towards pollution from night into morning; cross-checking showed this window coincides with when trucks and containers are permitted on D1 road right in front of the campus. This was flagged to the security team and night-shift staff to monitor and take protective measures (closing doors, wearing masks, moving to higher floors). At Hoa Lac (Hanoi), rainy days usually bring a marked improvement in air quality, making study and work more pleasant. These stories show data does not sit idle on a screen, it is read, understood and turned into concrete action.
International data sharing: recognised by IQAir on the global map
FPTU’s efforts drew special attention from IQAir. The first milestone came in October 2025, when IQAir officially published an article recognising the university’s contributions on iqair.com (on 5 October 2025) — spreading FPTU’s image and environmental initiatives to the international community while affirming its credibility in air-quality monitoring. Also in October 2025, the FPT logo appeared on IQAir’s air-quality map, stretching from north to south across Vietnam. To date, the university’s 5-station system has nearly 60,000 online data followers.
The recognition peaked on 17 March 2026, when Mr. Frank Hammes — CEO of IQAir — visited and worked with FPTU in Ho Chi Minh City. Welcoming the delegation were FPT Education leaders: Dr. Le Truong Tung (Chairman of the University Council) and Dr. Tran Ngoc Tuan (Vice President), with department representatives. IQAir praised FPTU’s sustainability direction — especially the Net Zero 2040 goal and the campus’s green landscape — and awarded the university the title ‘2026 Vietnam Top Education Air Quality Contributor’, an objective recognition of its data contributions and efforts to raise community awareness of clean air.
From data to action, education and community
For FPTU, air monitoring is not only about protection but also education and empowerment. Faculty incorporate data into lectures and research, while students lead many sustainability initiatives: tree planting, rooftop gardens and electric-vehicle advocacy. A 2024 carpool campaign cut students’ personal-vehicle use by 30–35% at the HCMC campus; in Qui Nhon, over 1,200 trees were planted in a multi-layered tropical garden system- efforts that measurably improved air quality. This is a virtuous cycle: data creates awareness, awareness drives action, and action is verified by data itself (SDG 3, 11, 13, 4).
FPTU is looking further ahead: expanding the monitoring network to the FSchool (K–12) system across 13 locations nationwide, starting in Hanoi, so younger students can also access real-time data and learn to act on it. With its vast communication reach (about 10 million followers), the university aims to spread knowledge to the public. Through international collaboration with IQAir, FPT University is steadily realising its sustainability strategy and the Net Zero 2040 goal — while affirming its commitment to standing with the community and the world against climate change, beginning with data that speaks.
