17.2.5. UEH Collaborates with Non-Governmental Organizations to Advance the Sustainable Development Goals

In 2025, the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) collaborated with non-profit organizations, development foundations, and international NGOs to advance the SDGs through three types of activities: (1) student volunteering for environmental action; (2) a national study on the youth entrepreneurship ecosystem; and (3) the deployment of green educational materials and tools for communities. Documented partnerships included UEH with Vietnam Green Community for environmental clean-ups; UEH with the For a Green Future Foundation for Let’s Green Unitour; and UEH/UII with Youth Co:Lab, co-led and supported by Citi Foundation, for a national study published in August 2025. UEH also signed a training partnership with the ST4SD project, co-implemented by the international NGO HELVETAS. This evidence distinguishes each partner’s responsibilities, activities undertaken during the year, and published outputs. It does not treat funding, the signing of an MOU, or conference participation as equivalent to completing a research programme or developing educational resources.

1. Strategic Foundations and Partnerships with Non-Governmental Organizations for the SDGs

UEH regards partnerships with social organizations, professional associations, and development partners as an important means of implementing its Multidisciplinary and Sustainable University strategy, connecting education, applied research, and community responsibility.

In 2025, UEH worked with partners of differing legal status and roles. Vietnam Green Community was an independent environmental volunteer group or community (its formal legal status as an NGO requires further verification). The For a Green Future Foundation identified itself as a non-profit organization established on 7 July 2023. Citi Foundation was a charitable foundation that co-led and supported Youth Co:Lab with UNDP. HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation was an international NGO co-implementing ST4SD, while ActionAid was an international NGO that co-organized a research forum. VECOM was a legally established non-profit professional association, relevant as supporting evidence for education but not automatically equivalent to an NGO under a narrow legal definition. For each partnership, UEH prioritized evidence of actual 2025 activities and outputs rather than relying solely on a description of the partner’s status.

2. Partnerships with Non-Governmental Organizations to Advance the SDGs in 2025

Three Main Categories of Evidence for Indicator 17.2.5 in 2025

(1) Student volunteering programmes: On 28 March 2025, 25 UEH students worked with Vietnam Green Community on an environmental clean-up. Student Union and Association members also facilitated green experiences during Let’s Green Unitour with support from the For a Green Future Foundation. Verifiable outcomes included student participation, community activities, equipment and methods used, and events actually held.

(2) Research programmes: UEH/UII carried out a national study under Youth Co:Lab, an initiative co-led by Citi Foundation and UNDP. UNDP published the national report on 11 August 2025, documenting data-collection methods, six thematic areas, and practical and policy recommendations.

(3) Educational resources: UEH Green Campus developed Green University toolkits and educational materials. The For a Green Future Foundation provided funding and implementation support for Let’s Green Unitour, bringing educational resources, the Green Campus Game, and waste-sorting activities to participating institutions. Public sources confirm the Foundation’s funding and implementation roles. Its involvement in developing individual learning materials would require separate documentation or evidence of jointly developed products.

Activity

Partner (NGO)

Description of Activity

Level

SDG Contribution

Results and Impact

01. Green Sunday – Environmental Protection Partnership (28 March 2025).
Source: UEH Youth website, published on 2 April 2025, “Green Sunday Activity of the School of Management”Article link: https://youth.ueh.edu.vn/tin-tuc/hoat-dong-ngay-chu-nhat-xanh-khoa-quan-tri/

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Vietnam Green Community – an independent environmental volunteer community/group working directly with UEH students.

Student volunteering programmes. The Student Association of UEH’s School of Management collaborated with Vietnam Green Community to organize a road clean-up in Tan Kien Commune. UEH mobilized and coordinated student volunteers, while Vietnam Green Community provided cleaning equipment.

Local

SDGs 11, 12, 13, 17

2025 output: On 28 March 2025, 25 UEH students joined Vietnam Green Community in cleaning a road in Tan Kien Commune; the partner provided equipment and helped coordinate the activity.

02. Let’s Green Unitour – Volunteering, Transfer and Use of Green Educational Resources at Educational Institutions (31 October–26 December 2025).

UEH Green Campus source – launch forum on 29 October 2025:

https://gogreen.ueh.edu.vn/su-kien/dien-dan-sinh-vien-thanh-pho-ho-chi-minh-voi-thuc-hanh-xanh-va-hanh-dong-ben-vung-cam-ket-trien-khai-mo-hinh-dai-hoc-xanh-den-10-co-so-giao-duc-dai-hoc-tai-tphcm

UEH Green Campus source – retrospective published on 26 February 2026 (including the 2025–2026 activity schedule):

https://gogreen.ueh.edu.vn/tin-moi-noi-bat/nhin-lai-hanh-trinh-day-tu-hao-cua-lets-green-unitour-2025-buoc-lan-toa-mo-hinh-dai-hoc-xanh-ueh-den-cong-dong

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For a Green Future Foundation (Vingroup): a non-profit organization established on 7 July 2023 that partnered with and provided resources for Let’s Green Unitour. Source confirming its non-profit status:

https://foundationforgreenfuture.com/gioi-thieu/

Student volunteering programmes + development/use of educational resources: UEH Green Campus and Student Union and Association members organized campus events. Student green ambassadors guided participants through the Green Campus Game and waste-sorting practices. The For a Green Future Foundation was a non-profit implementation-support partner; UEH-developed models and educational resources were brought to participating institutions.

Local and inter-university

SDGs 4, 11, 12, 13, 17

2025 outputs: On 31 October, UEH signed cooperation agreements with 10 institutions and announced plans to transfer 18 products and a Green University model implementation guide. Seven campus events were held between 27 November and 26 December 2025, featuring four areas: exhibitions, the Green Campus Game and green practices, environmental art, and green booths.

03. UEH–VECOM: Unitour 2025 Programme “Leading Vision – Shaping the Era” (16 September 2025). Source: UEH Portal, published on 18 September 2025, “Unitour 2025 Programme at UEH: Leading Vision – Shaping the Era”

Article link: https://ueh.edu.vn/cuoc-song-ueh/tin-tuc/chuong-trinh-unitour-2025-tai-ueh-dan-dat-tam-nhin-dinh-hinh-ky-nguyen-74831

Image3

Vietnam E-Commerce Association (VECOM): a voluntary, non-profit socio-professional association. The educational partnership was documented, but its status as a “professional association”

Educational partnership and knowledge sharing. UEH collaborated with VECOM and the E-Commerce Training Institutions Network to organize a programme for students. UEH provided the venue, co-organized activities, and connected experts; VECOM coordinated exchanges on the digital economy, AI, online business, financial security, and career development.

National

SDGs 4, 8, 9, 17

Thematic sessions and panel discussions helped students access digital business knowledge, skills, and career guidance. The event constituted practical educational cooperation with a non-profit organization.

04. UEH–VECOM: Vietnam Online Marketing Forum 2025 (17 October 2025). Source: UEH Portal, published on 18 October 2025, “UEH Partners with the Vietnam E-Commerce Association to Organize Vietnam Online Marketing Forum 2025”

Article link: https://www.ueh.edu.vn/cuoc-song-ueh/tin-tuc/ueh-dong-hanh-cung-hiep-hoi-thuong-mai-dien-tu-viet-nam-to-chuc-vietnam-online-marketing-forum-2025-75090

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VECOM: a non-profit socio-professional association. VOMF demonstrated cooperation in knowledge dissemination.

Educational cooperation and knowledge dissemination. UEH partnered with VECOM to host the forum in Ho Chi Minh City, bringing together lecturers, students, experts, and businesses to share approaches to sustainable brand development, AI applications, and business restructuring.

National

SDGs 4, 8, 9, 12, 17

The forum attracted more than 350 delegates, featuring 8 in-depth presentations and 2 panel discussions. UEH directly co-organized activities to disseminate knowledge about sustainable business.

05. UEH–ST4SD/HELVETAS: Partnership to Develop Sustainable Tourism Training Programmes (13 December 2025). Source: ST4SD project, published on 13 December 2025, “University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City Partners with ST4SD to Train High-Quality Human Resources for the Hospitality Industry”

Article link: https://st4sd.vn/dai-hoc-kinh-te-thanh-pho-ho-chi-minh-hop-tac-voi-du-an-st4sd-de-dao-tao-nguon-nhan-luc-chat-luong-cao-cho-nganh-khach-san/

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HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation: an international NGO implementing the SECO-funded ST4SD project together with CRED.

Cooperation to prepare the development of training programmes and resources (development of educational resources – initial stage). On 13 December 2025, UEH signed an MOU with ST4SD, jointly implemented by HELVETAS and CRED, and became a training partner for Swiss Executive Hospitality Training (Swiss EHT), connected to EHL in Switzerland. The cooperation mechanism and the intention to incorporate sustainability principles were established in 2025; available sources did not confirm that UEH had completed a curriculum, launched a course, or achieved learner outcomes that year.

International and national

SDGs 4, 8, 12, 17

The 2025 outputs were the MOU and UEH’s selection as a Swiss EHT training partner, representing a preparatory step for knowledge transfer. Project-wide ST4SD trainee numbers or activities implemented after 2025 should not be presented as training outcomes achieved by UEH itself in 2025.

06. UEH/UII–Youth Co:Lab/UNDP–Citi Foundation: National Study on the Youth Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in Viet Nam (report published on 11 August 2025).

UNDP source – original report published on 11 August 2025:

https://www.undp.org/vietnam/publications/state-ecosystem-youth-entrepreneurship-viet-nam

UEH Future source – article published on 28 August 2025:

https://future.ueh.edu.vn/sdgs-2/xoa-ngheo/du-an-nghien-cuu-ve-he-sinh-thai-khoi-nghiep-thanh-nien-tai-viet-nam-hop-tac-cung-undp-viet-nam-chinh-thuc-cong-bo-vao-thang-08-2025/

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Citi Foundation: a charitable foundation and co-lead of Youth Co:Lab with UNDP that provided funding to support the research; UEH/UII was the implementing research team. UNDP is an intergovernmental organization within the United Nations system.

Research programmes – research collaboration under an initiative co-led by a charitable foundation. UEH/UII analyzed the youth entrepreneurship ecosystem using surveys, in-depth interviews, stakeholder consultations, and secondary data; UNDP provided technical oversight, while Citi Foundation co-led and funded the initiative. The study began in 2024, and its report was published in 2025.

International and national

SDGs 4, 8, 9, 10, 17

PUBLICLY AVAILABLE RESEARCH OUTPUT: The report “State of the Ecosystem for Youth Entrepreneurship in Viet Nam” (UNDP, 11 August 2025) assessed six areas: institutions, access to finance, human resources, entrepreneurial culture, infrastructure, and markets. It analyzed barriers and proposed recommendations to support inclusive entrepreneurship.

07. IRDRC–UEH Participated in a Policy Research Workshop Co-organized by ActionAid (19 September 2025). Source: UEH Institute for Regional Development Research and Consulting, “IRDRC Presented a Paper at the Scientific Workshop ‘Mobilizing, Allocating and Utilizing Public Financial Resources to Accelerate Economic Growth’.”

Article link: https://irdrc.ueh.edu.vn/tin-tuc/irdrc-trinh-bay-tham-luan-tai-hoi-thao-khoa-hoc/

ActionAid International in Viet Nam: an international NGO that co-organized the workshop with the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Economy and Finance under the Ministry of Finance.

Research dissemination – collaborative knowledge sharing and policy discussion. Dr. Nguyen Kim Duc (IRDRC–UEH) presented research and eight groups of recommendations on growth and resource mobilization at the workshop held on 19 September 2025, co-organized by the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Economy and Finance (Ministry of Finance) and ActionAid. The event documented research dialogue with an NGO, but did not establish that IRDRC and ActionAid had jointly led a research study.

National

SDGs 8, 10, 16, 17

Output: a research presentation and policy implications were presented and openly discussed at the workshop co-organized by ActionAid.

3. Results and Impacts of Partnerships with NGOs in 2025

Regarding student volunteering programmes, on 28 March 2025 the Student Association of UEH’s School of Management worked with Vietnam Green Community to mobilize 25 students for a clean-up in Tan Kien Commune; the partner supplied equipment and helped organize the activity. Through the For a Green Future Foundation partnership, UEH students and Student Union and Association members took part in Let’s Green Unitour 2025, presenting the Green University model and guiding games and waste-sorting experiences at seven educational institutions between 27 November and 26 December 2025. These were documented activities supported by sources and photographs, although independent documentation of Vietnam Green Community’s legal NGO status would be required if it were used as decisive evidence.

Regarding research programmes, the UEH Institute of Innovation carried out “State of the Ecosystem for Youth Entrepreneurship in Viet Nam” within Youth Co:Lab, an initiative co-led by UNDP and Citi Foundation. Beginning in 2024, the study used nationwide data, stakeholder consultations, interviews, and analysis to assess six dimensions of the youth entrepreneurship ecosystem. UNDP published the report on 11 August 2025, with policy recommendations on finance, training, mentoring, and entrepreneurship support. This was a research output involving a non-profit foundation and an independent public source; it does not imply that all data were newly collected in 2025. IRDRC–UEH’s presentation at a September 2025 workshop co-organized by ActionAid and the Ministry of Finance demonstrated research dissemination to an NGO, but did not establish that UEH and ActionAid jointly implemented the research.

Regarding the development of educational resources, the UEH Green Campus–For a Green Future Foundation partnership provided the principal evidence. At the forum on 31 October 2025, UEH launched the programme with 10 universities and colleges and announced plans to transfer 18 products and a guide to implementing the Green University model. Between 27 November and 26 December 2025, seven participating institutions hosted events comprising four educational and experiential areas: model exhibitions, the Green Campus Game and waste-sorting practices, environmental art, and green booths. Educational materials and tools were deployed at events supported by the Foundation. The evidence demonstrated resource mobilization and dissemination of UEH-developed educational materials, but did not confirm that the Foundation co-authored each resource. UEH signed an MOU with the HELVETAS co-implemented ST4SD project on 13 December 2025 in preparation for introducing Swiss EHT training; available sources did not establish that UEH had completed a curriculum or delivered courses under the MOU in 2025.

4. Continuity and Development Compared with 2024

In 2024, UEH maintained volunteering, knowledge-sharing activities, and partnerships with social organizations, non-profit foundations, and development partners. In particular, UEH and the For a Green Future Foundation announced their Let’s Green Unitour collaboration on 31 December 2024, while the youth entrepreneurship ecosystem study under Youth Co:Lab/UNDP–Citi Foundation began in December 2024. These were initial commitments, design activities, and early implementation, not outputs to be counted as 2025 achievements.

In 2025, these partnerships demonstrated a verifiable shift from plans to activities and concrete outputs across three areas. (1) Volunteering: UEH students joined Vietnam Green Community for an environmental clean-up on 28 March and participated in Let’s Green Unitour events. (2) Research: UNDP published the UEH/UII–Youth Co:Lab national report on 11 August 2025, providing data and recommendations on youth entrepreneurship. (3) Education: Let’s Green Unitour signed agreements with 10 institutions on 31 October and organized seven events between 27 November and 26 December 2025 using the Green Campus Game, waste-sorting guidance, and Green University products. The figure of more than 1,615 participants across nine institutions in the retrospective published in February 2026 included two institutions that held events in January 2026; it must therefore not be quoted as a 2025-only result. The Swiss EHT partnership with ST4SD/HELVETAS was only at the agreement-signing stage in December 2025.

Conclusion

In 2025, UEH produced a research output under Youth Co:Lab, an initiative co-led by UNDP and Citi Foundation. UEH students collaborated with Vietnam Green Community on environmental volunteering, while UEH Green Campus and the For a Green Future Foundation worked together to deliver green educational resources through Let’s Green Unitour. The public evidence documented the parties’ roles for each activity. Confirming the volunteer partner’s independent legal status and each partner’s role in developing educational materials would require programme-specific documentation.