The University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) places strategic emphasis on developing a modern, democratic university governance model that embodies principles of inclusive institutions and representative decision-making through substantive participation of multiple stakeholders. The paramount governing body of UEH is the University Council, which bears institutional responsibility for determining strategic development direction, academic orientation, senior personnel decisions, and sustainable development policies across the entire university system.
Pursuant to Resolution No. 30/NQ-ĐHKT-HĐĐH dated November 10, 2023, which promulgated the “Regulations on Organization and Operations of the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City,” Chapter II, Section 2, Article 20, Subsection 3, explicitly stipulates: “The University Council shall comprise no fewer than 15 members, encompassing both internal and external representatives. External members shall constitute a minimum of 30 percent of total membership, including representatives from competent state administrative agencies, business enterprises, civil society organizations, alumni, and UEH partners.”
+ The University Council membership must comprise an odd number with a minimum of 15 individuals, including both internal UEH members and representatives from external constituencies;
+ External members shall constitute a minimum of 30 percent of the University Council’s total composition, comprising representatives from competent state administrative bodies; representatives from the civil society community selected through UEH’s representative conference, including leaders, managers, educators, cultural figures, scientists, entrepreneurs, alumni, and representatives from labor-employing organizations.
Additionally, University Council meetings may only proceed when external members are present and when a majority of total membership is achieved – a procedural requirement that ensures the voices of external stakeholders constitute an essential condition for institutional decision-making. This structural requirement substantively embeds accountability and accountable institutions within the university’s governance framework.
Member selection follows a transparent democratic electoral process:
+ Each unit within UEH – including faculties, institutes, centers, and administrative departments – convenes conferences of faculty and staff to elect representative delegates.
+ During the all-university Representative Conference, delegates vote to select University Council members according to established structural requirements.
+ This process operates under public oversight, ensuring substantive transparency and genuine representation
Pursuant to Decision No. 2318/QĐ-BGDĐT dated August 15, 2025 issued by the Minister of Education and Training, the UEH University Council for the 2025–2030 term comprises 27 members, distributed as follows:
– 09 members representing faculty, including Professors, Associate Professors, and Rectors from constituent schools;
– 06 members representing staff and personnel from functional departments;
– 01 student representative (Mr. Huỳnh Văn Sỹ – Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, UEH);
– 01 representative from the Ministry of Education and Training;
– 10 external members (≈37%), comprising leaders from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, major enterprises, professional organizations, and civil society leaders, including:
+ Dr. Nguyen Thanh Phong – Former Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee;
+ Dr. Pham Quoc Bao – Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation;
+ Mr. Nguyen Anh Duc – Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade;
+ Mr. Truong Quoc Hung – Vice Director General of Phu My Hung Corporation;
+ Mr. Lam Nguyen Hai Long – Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Information Technology Association;
+ Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Hoa – Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Business Association.
This composition demonstrates UEH’s commitment to substantive participation by government authorities, the business community, professional associations, and civil society leaders in institutional decision-making mechanisms.
In addition, UEH operates complementary advisory structures, including the Strategic Advisory and Policy Council and the Science and Technology Council at the university level with external members, and invites external specialists to participate in University Council meetings when necessary, thereby expanding channels for stakeholder participation and feedback from the community and broader society.
Building upon the regulatory framework established, UEH implements numerous practical activities demonstrating the participation of stakeholders in decision-making and policy formulation for development, with notable examples in 2024 including:
UEH executed and implemented a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement with the People’s Committee of Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province (September 5, 2024), aimed at linking university expertise with local governance. Through this agreement, representatives from provincial departments, sectors, and agencies participate alongside UEH in developing strategies for human resource development, digital transformation, and marine economy expansion.
Ceremony for the Signing of Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement between UEH and Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province People’s Committee
UEH strengthened cooperative relations with provinces in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, implementing a series of consultation and policy dialogue programs focused on sustainable development, resource management, and climate change adaptation. At these working sessions, local government leaders, provincial sector representatives, and business executives are invited to directly contribute their perspectives to the formulation of regional development orientations.
Through cooperation with Central Highlands provinces, UEH not only contributes to enhancing human resource quality but also accompanies these provinces in addressing practical development challenges
Additionally, during the 2022–2024 period, UEH signed eight memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with local authorities, including: Kien Giang, Dong Thap, Long An (2022); District 7, Dong Nai, Khanh Hoa (2023); Tay Ninh and Thu Duc City (2024).
These activities enable local governments to become consultation partners and collaborators in UEH’s development orientation, while enabling UEH to directly participate in local decision-making processes through conferences, reports, and academic seminars.
Public sector leadership and management development programs in Kien Giang, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Binh Thuan, and District 3 are designed based on consultations regarding the practical needs of local governments. Following each program delivery, results and feedback are synthesized to adjust and update program content and UEH’s educational strategies, ensuring co-creation in educational policy formulation.
Public Sector Leadership and Management Development Programs Coordinated with Local Authorities
Additionally, national-level policy workshops and forums consistently feature direct participation and substantive contributions from representatives of government ministries and sectors, provincial authorities, business enterprises, professional associations, and research institutions – thereby functioning as official platforms where local stakeholders participate and contribute to UEH’s decision-making processes in the fields of education, research, and policy consultation. Specific examples include:
National Conference on “Contribution to Vietnam’s Socio-Economic Development Strategy for the Period 2025 – 2030” This workshop received over 80 academic submissions with 5 outstanding papers selected for presentation. This scholarly forum served as an important platform for UEH to contribute perspectives and policy recommendations for the Fourteenth National Party Congress Documentation, demonstrating commitment to accompanying national priority strategies.
National Conference on “Contribution to Vietnam’s Socio-Economic Development Strategy for the Period 2025 – 2030”
Launching “Ho Chi Minh City Economic Report: Recovery and Readiness for a New Era”, serving as a dialogue platform for domestic and international investors and enterprises regarding investment orientations and market expansion strategies within Ho Chi Minh City’s business development framework.
Launching “Ho Chi Minh City Economic Report: Recovery and Readiness for a New Era”
National Science Workshop: “Economy, Law, Management, and Sustainable Development under the 2024 Land Law” at the Vinh Long Campus, featuring discussions on the implications of the 2024 Land Law for economic policy, legal frameworks, public administration, and sustainable development.
National Science Workshop: “Economy, Law, Management, and Sustainable Development under the 2024 Land Law”
Annual International Workshop on Theory and Practice in Business (iCOB 2024) attracted over 180 research submissions from scholars representing Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Switzerland, Poland, and numerous domestic research institutions, along with participation from business representatives, professional associations, and international organizations. Functioning as a multi-stakeholder dialogue platform, this forum brought together academic experts, managers, business leaders, and civil society organizations to discuss and contribute perspectives on pressing issues in business practice, sustainable development, and university governance.
Workshops serve as an open consultation mechanism, clearly demonstrating UEH’s commitment to listening to and incorporating the voices of stakeholders in the university’s strategic development planning processes.
Conference on “Digital Economy – Driving Force for Thu Duc City Development” with the participation of over 500 officials and civil servants from Thu Duc City. At this conference, the Institute of Smart City and Management (ISCM) and the Institute for Regional Development Research and Consulting (IRDRC) presented content on digital economy transformation, international experiences in digital transition, Vietnam’s digital economy development roadmap, and a model for measuring digital economy’s contribution to Ho Chi Minh City’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP).
Through an open and transparent governance mechanism, UEH consistently creates conditions enabling stakeholders – including state management agencies, business enterprises, civil society organizations, professional associations, international partners, and the academic community – to directly participate in formulating and deliberating the university’s development orientations.
The regulation in Resolution No. 30/NQ-ĐHKT-HĐĐH has institutionalized the minimum 30 percent requirement for University Council members to represent external constituencies, thereby ensuring the voice of society in UEH’s strategic decisions. Simultaneously, multi-party cooperative activities with provincial and municipal governments, local leadership development programs, and academic forums – national and international workshops – function as open consultation channels, enabling the university to receive feedback, identify needs, and incorporate policy recommendations from practice. This allows UEH to adjust educational delivery, research activities, and knowledge transfer to align with sustainable development requirements of localities, the nation, and the international community.
Through this governance model, UEH not only strengthens dense linkages among the public sector, private sector, and academic spheres, but also clearly demonstrates its commitment to advancing stakeholder participation in institutional decision-making processes.
Open related links:
1. Regulations on Organization and Operations of the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City – https://en.ueh.edu.vn/images/upload/editer/30.2023_%20NQ%20ban%20hanh%20Quy%20che%20To%20chuc%20va%20hoat%20dong%20UEH%202023.pdf
2. Decision No. 2318/QĐ-BGDĐT dated August 15, 2025 – https://ueh.edu.vn/gioi-thieu/lanh-dao/hoi-dong-truong?app=true&app=true
3. UEH executed and implemented a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement with the People’s Committee of Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province (September 5, 2024) – https://ueh.edu.vn/en/news/ueh-signing-a-comprehensive-strategic-memorandum-of-understanding-with-the-peoples-committee-of-ba-ria-vung-tau-province-until-2025-and-for-the-period-of-2025-2030-72462
4. UEH strengthened cooperative relations with provinces in Vietnam’s Central Highlands – https://ueh.edu.vn/cuoc-song-ueh/tin-tuc/ueh-tang-cuong-hop-tac-voi-cac-tinh-tay-nguyen-huong-toi-phat-trien-ben-vung-73236
7. Tay Ninh – https://ueh.edu.vn/en/news/ueh-fulfilling-our-mission-of-serving-the-community-towards-a-sustainable-future-73388
8. Binh Thuan – https://ueh.edu.vn/en/news/ueh-fulfilling-our-mission-of-serving-the-community-towards-a-sustainable-future-73388
9. District 3 – https://ueh.edu.vn/en/news/opening-ceremony-of-the-2024-training-program-on-innovation-leadership-and-change-management-in-the-public-sector-in-district-3-73206
10. National Conference on “Contribution to Vietnam’s Socio-Economic Development Strategy for the Period 2025 – 2030” – https://ueh.edu.vn/en/news/national-conference-on-contribution-to-vietnam-s-socio-economic-development-strategy-for-the-period-2025-2030-73129
11. Launching “Ho Chi Minh City Economic Report: Recovery and Readiness for a New Era” – https://ueh.edu.vn/en/news/launching-ho-chi-minh-city-economic-report-recovery-and-readiness-for-a-new-era-73257
12. National Science Workshop: “Economy, Law, Management, and Sustainable Development under the 2024 Land Law” – https://ueh.edu.vn/cuoc-song-ueh/tin-tuc/hoi-thao-khoa-hoc-quoc-gia-kinh-te-luat-quan-ly-va-phat-trien-ben-vung-duoi-tac-dong-cua-luat-dat-dai-2024-tai-phan-hieu-vinh-long-ueh-71984?app=true&app=true
13. Annual International Workshop on Theory and Practice in Business (iCOB 2024) – https://ueh.edu.vn/en/news/international-conference-on-business-theories-and-practices-icob-2024-73056
14. Conference on “Digital Economy – Driving Force for Thu Duc City Development” – https://www.ueh.edu.vn/en/news/thu-duc-city-peoples-committee-and-ueh-jointly-organized-the-conference-on-digital-economy-driving-force-for-thu-duc-city-development-72245
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