1. Programme Description

The University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) has proactively implemented the initiative entitled “Collaboration for Shared Land Ecosystems”. This programme is designed to foster partnerships with local communities in order to conserve and restore shared terrestrial ecosystems, aligning with the principles of sustainable land management and community-based conservation.

Rather than focusing solely on educational dissemination, this initiative emphasises active engagement, joint action, and collective stewardship between the university and local stakeholders to protect biodiversity and maintain ecosystem resilience.

2. Core Components and Target Groups

Core activities:
 The programme encompasses a range of collaborative actions such as:

+ Co-developing local conservation plans between UEH and community representatives;

+ Participating in reforestation and forest protection campaigns;

+ Restoring degraded or polluted land areas; and

+ Sharing long-term responsibilities for maintaining and monitoring these ecosystems.

Target groups: Local communities—including residents, local authorities, and civil society organisations—located in areas with vulnerable or shared terrestrial ecosystems requiring protection and sustainable management.

3. Institutional Commitment and Policy Support

This initiative forms part of UEH’s overarching institutional sustainability strategy and does not require a separate pilot framework. It operationalises the university’s “Community Engagement” pillar, as articulated in Article 6, Clause 1 of UEH’s Green University Regulation (Decision No. 2059/QD-DHKT-CSVC).

The Regulation mandates all UEH units to “organise, implement, and continuously evaluate the Green University project with full dimensions of Education, Research, Operations, Governance, and Community Connection.” This holistic approach demonstrates UEH’s long-term commitment to integrating sustainability into education and practice, ensuring that community collaboration is embedded across all institutional processes.

4. Evidence of Implementation and Impact

Programme / Project Type / Modality Summary Description Participants / Partners Link Contributing SDGs
Field Survey with Mango Farmers in Son La Province under the Agricultural Workforce Development Project Field research; Community engagement; Applied research The HAPRI Institute (UEH) collaborated with VNUA and international partners to conduct on-site surveys in Mai Son and Yen Chau districts (Son La Province) with the support of local authorities and village leaders. The activity aimed to understand farming practices, identify challenges in digital transformation in agriculture, and propose solutions for capacity building and livelihood improvement. Through this close community-based partnership, the project contributed to maintaining the agro-ecosystem balance, improving soil productivity, and conserving the distinctive mango cultivation landscape of the region. The Health and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (HAPRI) affiliated with the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) and the Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) are the main partners. The project is funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and managed by the John Dillon Fellowship program at the University of New England (UNE, Australia).  https://www.hapri.org/post/hapri-kh%E1%BA%A3o-s%C3%A1t-n%C3%B4ng-d%C3%A2n-tr%E1%BB%93ng-xo%C3%A0i-xu%E1%BA%A5t-kh%E1%BA%A9u-t%E1%BA%A1i-t%E1%BB%89nh-s%C6%A1n-la SDG 4, SDG 12, SDG 15, SDG 17
National Scientific Conference on “Economics, Law, Management, and Sustainable Development under the Impact of the 2024 Land Law” at the UEH Mekong Campus Academic conference – Collaboration with local authorities and central government agencies UEH organized a national-scale conference to analyze the impacts of the Land Law 2024 on resource management, the economy, and regional sustainable development. The event gathered representatives from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, local governments across the Mekong Delta, and academia. Through discussions and policy proposals, the conference contributed to the sustainable use and management of land ecosystems, fostering connections among universities, governments, and communities. Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment; Vinh Long People’s Committee and provincial departments across the Mekong Delta; UEH lecturers and researchers https://ueh.edu.vn/en/news/ueh-hosts-national-scientific-conference-on-economics-law-management-and-sustainable-development-under-the-impact-of-the-2024-land-law-at-the-ueh-mekong-campus-75211  SDG 15 – Life on Land

SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
The 2nd International Conference Resilience by Technology and Design 2024 “For a More Sustainable Mekong Delta” at UEH Vinh Long Campus International conference – Multilateral cooperation and knowledge transfer on soil ecology UEH organized the international RTD 2024 conference at the Vinh Long Campus, attracting 400 delegates from Mekong Delta provinces, management agencies, scholars, and international partners. Presentations focused on technology-based and nature-based solutions to restore and sustain the soil–water–mangrove ecosystems of the Mekong Delta. The event also featured the signing of an MoU between ISCM (UEH) and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (Singapore) on sustainable urban development and land management. ISCM–UEH; Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (Singapore); Mekong Delta provincial authorities; international organizations; local communities https://www.ueh.edu.vn/en/news/the-2nd-international-conference-resilience-by-technology-and-design-2024-for-a-more-sustainable-mekong-delta-at-ueh-vinh-long-campus-72124  SDG 15 – Life on Land

SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities

SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals

5. Alignment with THE Impact Principles

This programme exemplifies UEH’s integrated approach to achieving SDG 15 (Life on Land) through:

+ Restoration of degraded land and sustainable land use management;

+ Strengthening multi-stakeholder partnerships (SDG 17) between academia, government, and community;

+ Enhancing inclusive and equitable education (SDG 4) through experiential learning; and

 +Promoting responsible consumption and production (SDG 12) within the agricultural sector.

By embedding community engagement into its sustainability framework, UEH demonstrates a measurable and replicable model of university–community collaboration for the conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.

Open related links:

1. March 25, 2024 – HAPRI surveyed mango farms for export opportunities in Son La province – https://www.hapri.org/post/hapri-kh%E1%BA%A3o-s%C3%A1t-n%C3%B4ng-d%C3%A2n-tr%E1%BB%93ng-xo%C3%A0i-xu%E1%BA%A5t-kh%E1%BA%A9u-t%E1%BA%A1i-t%E1%BB%89nh-s%C6%A1n-la

2. June 25, 2024 – UEH Hosts National Scientific Conference on “Economics, Law, Management, and Sustainable Development under the Impact of the 2024 Land Law” at the UEH Mekong Campus – https://ueh.edu.vn/en/news/ueh-hosts-national-scientific-conference-on-economics-law-management-and-sustainable-development-under-the-impact-of-the-2024-land-law-at-the-ueh-mekong-campus-75211 

3. July 22, 2024 – The 2nd International Conference Resilience by Technology and Design 2024 “For a More Sustainable Mekong Delta” at UEH Vinh Long Campus – https://www.ueh.edu.vn/en/news/the-2nd-international-conference-resilience-by-technology-and-design-2024-for-a-more-sustainable-mekong-delta-at-ueh-vinh-long-campus-72124