[Research Contribution] Modernizing and Elevating Vietnamese Higher Education: Creating Breakthroughs in High-Caliber Human Resource Development and Talent Cultivation, Leading Research and Innovation
5 March, 2026
Keywords: higher education, sustainable university, high-caliber human resources, innovation
According to the approach of the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), a sustainable university is not merely an educational and research institution bound by social responsibility – it is also an agent of policy advisory, connecting local and international stakeholders to create sustainable action. Building upon this foundation, UEH’s research team has analyzed the policy frameworks, theoretical underpinnings, and practical implementation of the sustainable university model within the Vietnamese context and in alignment with global trends, with particular emphasis on the strategic direction set forth by the Politburo through Resolution 71-NQ/TW (2025).
UEH’s Sustainable University Strategy
Since 2021, UEH has entered a phase of strategic transformation: evolving from a key economics and management education institution into a multidisciplinary and sustainable university by 2030. The Sustainable University model has been constructed upon three foundations: referencing international sustainable development frameworks, benchmarking against university ranking and evaluation systems, and adapting to the conditions and context of Vietnam.
UEH’s development model features a multi-layered structure in which training holds the central role, surrounded by four pillars: research, campus operations, governance, and community connection. Training is oriented toward cultivating global citizens with the capacity for critical thinking, creativity, and action for sustainable development. Research is directed toward both advancing academic knowledge and addressing practical challenges faced by localities, enterprises, and communities.
In terms of operations, the university campus is being developed along green and smart principles, simultaneously serving as “living labs” for experimentation and innovation. At the governance level, sustainability is embedded in all strategies and decisions, ensuring transparency and feasibility. Community connection activities enable UEH to become a hub for the dissemination of knowledge, culture, and social creativity, thereby forming a multi-stakeholder collaborative ecosystem.
From 2025, the UEH sustainable model is being expanded toward stronger interaction with external ecosystems, including the natural environment, government, enterprises, society, and academic networks. This connectivity creates a circle of value co-creation and social impact contribution, laying the groundwork for UEH’s goal of developing into a “City-University Innovation Hub” by 2030.
The entire model operates according to the PDCA (Plan – Do – Check – Act) cycle, ensuring continuity, reflection, and improvement. As a result, UEH not only maintains internal sustainability but also affirms its role as a nucleus of innovation within the “City University Innovation Hub” ecosystem.
UEH Multidisciplinary and Sustainable University Model
The Value of the Sustainable University Strategy for UEH
The Sustainable University strategy has created distinct value for UEH across multiple dimensions. First and foremost, this strategy has contributed to enhancing UEH’s academic standing and international presence in prestigious ranking tables, while shaping the image of a modern, distinctive university closely connected with the global academic community.
Learners, faculty members, and researchers are direct beneficiaries: learners gain access to training programs aligned with global competencies and experiential learning spaces such as Living Labs; faculty and researchers enjoy expanded opportunities for international publication, participation in interdisciplinary research, and strengthened academic reputation.
This strategy also provides the foundation for UEH to broaden its collaborative network both domestically and internationally, promote co-creation projects, applied research, and the dissemination of social impact. At the same time, the attraction of scholarships, grants, collaborative projects, and enterprise resources has contributed to reinforcing financial sustainability for long-term initiatives.
Overall, the Sustainable University strategy not only enhances UEH’s competitive capacity but also shapes a pioneering university model capable of creating sustainable value for learners, the academic community, and society.
Lessons Learned and Policy Recommendations from Sustainable University Implementation at UEH
Practical experience in implementing the Sustainable University model at UEH demonstrates that sustainability cannot be understood merely as short-term social responsibility activities; rather, it must become a long-term development strategy integrated across all core university functions – from training, research, governance, and operations to community connection.
From this experience, several important lessons can be drawn for higher education institutions in Vietnam. First, a sustainability strategy must be rooted in scientific foundations and research systems. A university can only assume a leading role in society when research and development become pillars for policy formulation, solution design, and training orientation. At the same time, no single sustainability model fits all educational institutions. Each university must develop its own strategy suited to its inherent characteristics, local context, and labor market needs, closely linked to the urban areas and regions it serves.
The pioneering role of leadership is the decisive factor. A sustainability strategy can only be effectively implemented when senior leadership possesses innovative thinking, long-term commitment, and the ability to build consensus across the entire system. In parallel, organizational culture – manifested through solidarity, shared responsibility, and co-creation – is the very foundation that sustains the momentum of transformation. Technology, digitalization, and innovation also emerge as critical drivers, as data platforms, AI, monitoring systems, and digital governance tools enable universities to implement sustainable initiatives effectively, transparently, and measurably.
Equally important is the necessity of integrated governance mechanisms. Long-term strategies must be connected with action plans, monitoring systems, and evaluation indicators through continuous cycles, ensuring the capacity for control, adjustment, and improvement. When a university reaches a certain level of maturity, it must not only be a place for knowledge transmission but also become a nucleus of innovation for the city and the nation, serving as a connector of knowledge, technology, enterprises, and communities within the City University Innovation Hub model.
Drawing from these lessons, several policy directions can be proposed for the Vietnamese higher education system. First, it is necessary to develop a national policy framework for sustainable universities, in which sustainable development criteria are integrated into quality accreditation, rankings, and resource allocation mechanisms. Concurrently, the State should promote investment in interdisciplinary research, innovation centers, living laboratories, and scientific publications addressing pressing challenges such as green transformation, urban governance, renewable energy, and digital transformation.
Another important direction is the establishment of multi-stakeholder linkage mechanisms among the State, Universities, Enterprises, Communities, and the Natural Environment, thereby forming innovation ecosystems that position universities at the center of connection and co-creation. In parallel, investment in digital infrastructure, open data, and technology platforms serving training, research, and governance should be regarded as foundational conditions for sustainable development. University culture also needs to be reshaped to emphasize social responsibility, the spirit of service, and global citizenship capacity, accompanied by policies for developing interdisciplinary academic teams capable of internationalization and adaptation to long-term sustainability challenges.
Experience from UEH demonstrates that a sustainable university is a strategic, integrated, and continuously innovative journey – not a collection of fragmented activities. When Vietnamese higher education institutions choose this path, they not only elevate the quality of training and research but also become engines of innovation, nuclei of urban and national development, thereby making tangible contributions to the sustainable development process of the region and the world.
Research Team: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Quang Hung, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trinh Tu Anh, Dr. Le Thi Hanh An, Nguyen Quynh Tram
This article is part of the series disseminating research and applied knowledge from UEH under the message “Research Contribution For All.” UEH cordially invites readers to follow the next edition of UEH Research Insights.
News and image: Authors, UEH Department of Communications and Partnerships
Voice: Thanh Kieu
Chia sẻ:
[Research Contribution] Co-innovating for a Sustainable Ocean Economy
12 December, 2025
[Podcast] Recommendations for University education development
14 February, 2025
[Podcast] Developing Vung Tau into a World-Class Tourism City
16 January, 2025
[Podcast] Postdigital Design Strategies for Media Art
6 January, 2025
[Podcast] NFTs – Artistic Innovation or Just a New Hype?
27 December, 2024
[Podcast] Boosting Employee Creativity with Constructive Feedback
23 November, 2024
[Podcast] “Dutch Disease” in Remittances and the Case of Vietnam
4 November, 2024
[Podcast] Latest approaches for sustainable universities
11 July, 2024
Data Law – Part 1: Necessity for a New Approach
18 May, 2024
Advertising Evaluation on Tiktok Platform
14 May, 2024
[Podcast] Advertising Evaluation on Tiktok Platform
13 May, 2024
Promoting Learner Autonomy in English Language Learning (Part 1)
24 November, 2023
ArtTech And Sustainable Development
27 October, 2023
Motivation of EFL Vietnamese Students in Economics-related Majors
12 October, 2023
Climate Change And Our Society: The Urgency Of Gender Inequality
12 October, 2023
People Analytics in Vietnam
10 March, 2022
Revolution in Experimental Economics
30 January, 2022
The Sharing Economy: Governance Issues in Vietnam
24 January, 2022
Employment Policy For Ho Chi Minh City in Post-social distancing Period
28 December, 2021
Lifelong learning at UEH: Towards a Sustainable University
28 December, 2021
Building a Decentralized Stock Market based on Blockchain Technology
24 December, 2021
Consumer price index from big data mining perspective (Big data)
17 November, 2021
Overview Of Digital Currency – Part 5: DIEM Private Stabilized Currency
11 November, 2021
