Dear Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Quang Hung, "Sustainable University" is becoming a global trend. For UEH, how is this concept understood and implemented in the current context of Vietnam?
Around the world, university education has shifted from a model of "transmitting knowledge" to "creating knowledge and solutions for society". The United Nations considers education to be the center of sustainable development - it is the place to train responsible global citizens who know how to act for the planet and the community.
At UEH, we see "Sustainable University" not only as an educational or research institution, but also as a learning organization closely connected to society, responsible for creating knowledge, innovation, and action for human development. The philosophy that UEH pursues is "Academic Pioneer - Serving Society - Promoting Innovation - Sustainable Orientation". This is not only a manifesto, but also a guideline for every activity of the school, from training, research, administration to community connection, to aim for sustainable values and serve the common good.
Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Quang Hung, Deputy Director in charge of Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics (UEH)
PHOTO: UEH
Specifically, what pillars is UEH's "Sustainable University" model built on, Professor?
From 2021, UEH will begin a strategic transformation phase: from a key university of economics and management to a multidisciplinary and sustainable university. Our development model is designed based on 5 pillars: training, research, operation, governance and community connection - all operated according to the PDCA cycle (Plan - Do - Check - Act), ensuring continuous improvement and regular reflection.
At the heart of this model is the education of global citizens - learners with critical thinking, creativity, and the capacity to act for sustainability. From there, the school aims to establish a "City-University Innovation Hub" by 2030, where knowledge, community and businesses co-create sustainable development solutions at urban, national and international scales.
In that roadmap, what outstanding results has UEH achieved, sir?
We have gone through the first phase (2021 - 2025) with many clear results.
Firstly , about training: UEH identifies training as the central pillar of its sustainable strategy, building a learning ecosystem "Glo-cal Education" - Global thinking, local action.
The school has strongly expanded interdisciplinary programs serving digital transformation, smart cities and green development such as: Fintech, ArtTech, Smart City, sustainable business management, economics and environmental management... The entire program is designed according to international standards, linked to the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. In addition, UEH pioneered the development of Living Labs - living laboratories such as Green Campus or Neutral Carbon Campus - where students not only learn theory but also participate in green action, research and innovation.
Second , on research: UEH has implemented 498 scientific topics, with more than 2,450 international publications, of which 87% are in the Q1/Q2 Scopus group. Research directions focus on urgent issues of Vietnam such as: climate change, circular economy, green logistics, digital economy and urban innovation. In particular, we promote research for the community, creating knowledge products to serve policies and businesses, instead of just stopping at academic publications.
Third , regarding governance: UEH is comprehensively restructured according to the model of an autonomous, multidisciplinary, modern and sustainable university. All governance strategies and decisions incorporate sustainability factors - from human resource development, finance, facilities to organizational culture. This mechanism helps UEH operate flexibly, transparently and effectively in the context of university autonomy.
UEH is also one of the Vietnamese universities with increasingly high international status. Can you share more about this achievement?
Yes. Through our consistent efforts to pursue international standards and sustainable values, UEH is currently in the Top 136 Asian Universities according to THE 2025, Top 301+ QS Asia 2024 and especially Top 650 QS Sustainability 2025 - a ranking focusing on sustainable development. We also have a network of 125 global academic partners, 500 domestic and foreign businesses and organizations, and a community of 280,000 alumni who are contributing in many fields.
These results demonstrate that sustainability is not just an ideal, but a measure of competitiveness. A sustainable university is one that is trusted by society, internationally recognized and respected by the community.
According to Associate Professor, in the context of Vietnam implementing Resolution 71-NQ/TW of the Politburo on modernizing university education, what can UEH's strategy contribute to this process?
Resolution 71-NQ/TW is an important milestone, affirming the need to modernize and improve Vietnam's university education, develop high-quality human resources and lead research and innovation. This is also the consistent direction in UEH's strategy.
We believe that to modernize education, we must modernize the philosophy of university development - that is, we must put "sustainability" at the center. When all activities from teaching, research to administration are oriented towards long-term value for society, university education will truly become the driving force for national development.
UEH is building a City-University Innovation Hub model - a "University in the heart of the city" connecting with the government, businesses, the community and the international community to co-create knowledge and solutions for sustainable development. This can be considered a reference model for Vietnamese universities in the coming period.
A place to inspire learners
I believe that sustainable education is the humanistic education of the new era, where knowledge not only creates capacity, but also nurtures social responsibility. UEH will continue to pursue a 3-phase roadmap: from raising awareness (2021 - 2025), to empowering action (2026 - 2030), and further spreading social impact after 2030.
By 2045, UEH strives to become a Top 100 University in Asia, and a leading center of innovation, academics and sustainability in the region. But more importantly, we hope that UEH will always be a place that inspires learners to become global citizens for sustainable development.
If every teacher and every school shares the same aspiration to serve society with knowledge and responsibility, then Vietnamese education will certainly enter a new breakthrough phase - modern, creative and sustainable.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dai-hoc-ben-vung-con-duong-hien-dai-hoa-nang-tam-giao-duc-vn-18525111518330438.htm
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