The University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) is committed to fostering an equitable, inclusive and family-friendly higher education environment. Supporting students with young children is part of its efforts to promote women’s access to, and continuation in, higher education. By providing dedicated areas for children to rest, play and engage in everyday activities on campus, UEH offers free facilities for the children of students and faculty members, helping reduce practical barriers for parents who bring their children to campus. These facilities are publicly introduced through UEH’s official communication channels and continue to feature in student support initiatives, helping students with young children, particularly women following childbirth, remain connected to the academic community and participate in educational activities.
1. Free Childcare Facilities – Supporting Students with Young Children
Guided by a learner-centred approach, UEH recognises the diverse circumstances of its students, particularly women who are pregnant, have recently given birth or have responsibilities for caring for young children.
To support these learners, UEH provides suitable rest areas, activity spaces and related amenities on campus. The University presents these childcare-support facilities as free amenities for the UEH community, including students, postgraduate learners, faculty members and staff with young children.
These spaces are intended to allow parents to care for and rest with their children while on campus. In doing so, UEH seeks to alleviate some of the challenges faced by learners who must balance family responsibilities with academic participation.
In particular, rest rooms primarily designated for faculty and staff may also be considered as facilities to support learners with specific needs, subject to registration and approval by the responsible management unit in accordance with the applicable access conditions.
The development of family-support facilities on campus reflects UEH’s attention to students’ actual learning conditions and its aim to create a university environment in which learners can continue their programmes as family responsibilities change.
2. Rest Rooms and Supporting Facilities Across UEH Campuses
2.1. Network of Rest Rooms at Campuses A and B
UEH maintains rest rooms in its teaching and working areas, providing suitable places for authorised users to take breaks while on campus.
According to the facilities inventory provided by the managing unit, the room locations are as follows:
| Campus / Building | Room location | Intended use |
|---|---|---|
| Campus A | A.215 | Rest area on Campus A |
| Campus B – Building B1 | B1.410, B1.510, B1.709, B1.809 | Rest rooms on the 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th floors |
| Campus B – Building B2 | B2.201, B2.209, B2.309, B2.401, B2.409 | Rest rooms on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors |
These rooms expand the availability of rest and activity spaces on campus for members of the UEH community, in accordance with their designated functions and the access rules established by the managing unit.
For students who are pregnant, recovering after childbirth or caring for young children, access to suitable spaces through the relevant registration and approval procedures may help address rest and family-care needs while attending university activities.
2.2. Gender-Specific Rest Rooms and Health-Related Amenities
In addition to the broader network of rest rooms, UEH provides separate rest areas for men and women, equipped with amenities for rest and personal well-being.
| Location | Facility | Support provided |
|---|---|---|
| B1.1502 | Men’s rest room | Beds and massage chairs |
| B1.1503 | Women’s rest room | Beds and massage chairs |
| Building N2 | Separate men’s and women’s rest rooms on each floor | Additional rest areas suited to users’ needs |
Dedicated rest rooms for women provide opportunities for rest and privacy. Subject to each room’s designated function and approved conditions of use, these facilities may also support women with particular health and well-being needs.
2.3. Child-Friendly Activity Areas and Amenities
UEH’s child-friendly facilities include rest areas, indoor play spaces and amenities that support children’s daily activities. Air-conditioned indoor areas, comfortable surroundings and equipment for meals and other needs help parents care for their children in a more convenient setting.
Play areas and spaces for physical activity also provide opportunities for age-appropriate movement, interaction and recreation. Together, these campus facilities give students additional options when they need to bring their children to the University, reducing some of the practical difficulties associated with family-care responsibilities.
Importantly, UEH provides these childcare-support areas free of charge and publicises their availability through official channels, helping reduce the cost of accessing appropriate facilities for students and postgraduate learners with young children.
Rest area for staff and children
3. Accessing and Registering to Use Rooms Through UEH SmartLock
To manage facility use efficiently and meet the needs of different user groups, UEH has implemented its UEH SmartLock system.
The system enables online room-use requests, registration and access authorisation, allowing approved users to enter designated rooms without a physical key.
According to UEH’s published instructions, access through SmartLock follows these steps:
- Users access the UEH SmartLock portal to request permission to use a room.
- Requests are forwarded to the room administrator for review and approval under the applicable access arrangements.
- Once authorised, users receive a notification and can use the TTLock application to open the room to which they have been granted access.
For faculty rest rooms, UEH operates an automatic registration and approval arrangement for eligible staff members. Students and postgraduate learners who need assistance while pregnant, recovering after childbirth or caring for young children may contact the facilities management unit for guidance on registration and consideration of access to a suitable space.
Centralised registration and access authorisation improve room management and provide a framework for facilitating appropriate access according to the needs of different learner groups.
UEH SmartLock user instructions on the UEH Knowledge Base.
Source: https://hotro.ueh.edu.vn/bai-viet/ueh-smartlock-673
4. Connecting Family-Care Support with Opportunities to Continue Studying
In 2025, UEH continued to maintain and publicise its free childcare-support spaces, which combine rest facilities, activity areas and play areas for children on campus. Alongside its network of rest rooms at Campuses A and B and in Building N2, the University has continued to develop family-friendly facilities supporting students and postgraduate learners with young children.
UEH also recorded support for 18 female students in relation to maternity-related and family-care needs through its student administration and support system. This reflects the University’s attention to students in particular circumstances and helps them balance family responsibilities with the pursuit of their studies.
In addition to academic support, UEH continued to publicise its child-friendly facilities and maintained its room registration and access management arrangements through UEH SmartLock. Together, these facilities and learner support measures help women students stay connected to academic life and prepare to continue their programmes following childbirth.
Summary of Measures Supporting Students with Young Children
| Support measure | Beneficiaries | Implementation at UEH | Results and contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free childcare-support spaces | Students and postgraduate learners with young children | Provision of rest, activity and play areas for children on campus | Makes it easier for students to bring children to campus and use free amenities. https://future.ueh.edu.vn/en/565-childcare-facilities-for-staff-and-faculty/ |
| Network of rest rooms at Campuses A and B | Faculty, staff and learners granted access under applicable rules | A.215; B1.410, B1.510, B1.709, B1.809; B2.201, B2.209, B2.309, B2.401, B2.409 | Maintains rest areas in multiple locations to help meet users’ on-campus needs. |
| Gender-specific rest rooms and health-related amenities | Users according to the room’s designated function and access authorisation | B1.1502 for men, B1.1503 for women; separate men’s and women’s rest rooms on each floor of Building N2 | Beds and massage chairs in B1.1502 and B1.1503; additional private and convenient rest spaces. |
| Room registration and access management through SmartLock | Users with approved access rights | Online registration, approval and authorisation via UEH SmartLock and the TTLock app | Maintains an organised access mechanism for using suitable facilities, subject to approval. |
| Child-friendly facilities | Children and parents who are students or postgraduate learners | Air-conditioned indoor spaces, rest areas and equipment supporting everyday activities | Meets some childcare needs when parents are on campus. https://dsa.ueh.edu.vn/tin-tuc/ueh-dong-hanh-cung-sinh-vien-va-giang-vien-co-con-nho-kien-tao-moi-truong-hoc-tap-lam-viec-than-thien/ |
| Support for female students with young children | Female students with maternity-related and childcare responsibilities | Receives and responds to learner support needs according to UEH’s policies and procedures | 18 female students received support in 2025, contributing to their ability to continue studying. |
| Public information on family-friendly facilities | Students, postgraduate learners and the UEH community | Information about childcare-support spaces is shared through official channels | Improves access to information on facilities for learners with young children. https://gogreen.ueh.edu.vn/en/the-impact-ranking/sdgs-item/564-childcare-facilities-for-students |
5. Conclusion
By maintaining free childcare-support spaces, rest rooms across its campuses and a facilities management mechanism through UEH SmartLock, the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) continues to advance a family-friendly higher education environment.
These free facilities also help create a more supportive learning environment for students and postgraduate learners with young children, particularly women following childbirth. By recognising family-care needs alongside academic participation, UEH seeks to promote equal opportunities to continue studying and foster an inclusive university community in which learners can balance family responsibilities with personal development, contributing to SDG 5 – Gender Equality.