Following the successful Fourth Transnational Project Meeting in Bucharest, Romania, held on May 19–20, 2025, the Erasmus+ SOHO Project continued to advance its mission with the 5^th Transnational Project Meeting hosted by the • Université Lumière Lyon 2 (France) on November 27–28, 2025. The initiative — Smart, Optimized, High-quality, and On-demand Tourism Innovative Education for Sustainable and Green Development (2023–2026) — aims to modernize tourism education and strengthen international collaboration toward sustainable and green development.

The SOHO project is committed to establishing Knowledge & Competence Centers (KCCs) in Vietnam, Malaysia, and Bangladesh. These centers are envisioned as hubs for capacity building, innovation, and regional partnership. In line with this mission, the consortium is developing new academic courses in Smart Transportation, Sustainable Accommodation, and Renewable Energy Integration — opening pathways for future professionals and entrepreneurs in the tourism sector.

The recent meeting in Lyon, France brought together representatives from nine prestigious universities across Europe and Southeast Asia for two days of strategic discussions and collaborative planning. Sessions were held in the seminar room of IUT Lumière Lyon, focusing on finalizing the curriculum development, digital integration, smart technologies in tourism, and sustainable educational solutions.

The AIUB delegation comprised Prof. Dr. Md. Abdur Rahman, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Associate Professor Dr. Chowdhury Akram Hossain, Head of Computer Engineering.

The event concluded with a tour of the city of Lyon and further discussions. More than 25 participants attended in person and online, with official dinners at two renowned restaurants in Lyon, providing informal networking opportunities and strengthening ties among partners.

The project consortium includes:

• National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest (Romania)
• Université Lumière Lyon 2 (France)
• Politecnico di Milano (Italy)
• American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB)
• Jahangirnagar University (Bangladesh)
• The University of Danang (Vietnam)
• University of Technology and Education – University of Danang (Vietnam)
• Universiti Sains Malaysia
• Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Malaysia)

The transnational meetings reinforce the SOHO Project’s ongoing commitment to building a greener, smarter, and more inclusive future for tourism education, while strengthening regional and international collaboration.