Multidisciplinary University Governance Model of University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City

Since the announcement of the goal of the Multidisciplinary and Sustainable University strategy in 2021, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) has taken the right and solid steps in training, research, administration, operations and community connection. This effort has reaped many achievements in recent times and has officially made UEH one of the seven higher education institutions in Vietnam operating under the model of a “Multidisciplinary university”.

Since the announcement of the goal of the Multidisciplinary and Sustainable University strategy in 2021, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) has taken the right and solid steps in training, research, administration, operations and community connection. This effort has reaped many achievements in recent times and has officially made UEH one of the seven higher education institutions in Vietnam operating under the model of a “Multidisciplinary university”.

2021 – Internal restructuring according to the Multidisciplinary and Sustainable University strategy after a long preparation process

As of October 2023, UEH has completed a journey of 47 years of formation and development as a key national higher education institution, accompanying the modernity and innovation of the country. In the current period, internationalization and change management according to social practices are the school’s top priorities, with the goal of bringing Vietnamese higher education closer to the world and helping Vietnamese learners have the ability to develop competitively in the international environment.

In 2021, UEH has proactively restructured internally, becoming a Multidisciplinary and Sustainable University. This is a popular trend in the world, helping to promote multidisciplinary research and training capacity and connecting with the community through multilateral projects on training, research, and consulting to solve global problems.

Specifically, Multidisciplinary UEH is developed through 2 phases, from 2021 to 2030:

Phase 1 (2021 – 2025): Forming a multi-disciplinary University in Economics, Business – Management, Social Sciences, Technology and Design on the basis of restructuring the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City into a comprehensive University with 3 Member Colleges including UEH College of Business; UEH College of Economics, Law and Government; UEH College of Technology and Design along with the activities of UEH Vinh Long Campus in the Mekong Delta.

Launching 3 UEH Member Colleges on October 27, 2021

Phase 2 (2026 – 2030): Upgrade the International School of Business to the 4^th Member College of UEH to promote training in international programs and talented students, establish UEH Nha Trang Campus, promote international training and local expansion, recognized in the Asian region with a ranking in the 500 Best Universities in Asia.

In addition, the sustainable UEH strategy focuses on building and developing 05 pillars, including (1) Training Global Citizen – Sustainable Action; (2) Research for the public benefit; (3) Operation: From a circular campus to a green university; (4) Community of people who inspire arts and lead change for sustainable development; (5) Governance: Prioritize sustainable development.

With clearly planned strategies, since 2021, UEH has flexibly operated according to a 3-level model: University – Member College/Campus – School/Institute/Department in a flexible manner in the direction of increasing sovereignty for member colleges. In this way, the school can focus on developing multidisciplinary knowledge based on inherent resources and build a mechanism to share resources smoothly among member colleges.

2021 – 2023: Two years of unanimous transformation of the entire UEHer, ready for a new milestone

In order to operate smoothly and effectively the new strategy and new management model, over the past two years, the entire UEHer from the University level, Member Colleges/Institutions to schools and institutes have made efforts, step by step getting acquainted with the new strategy and management model, understanding and proactively engaging in the process.

There are many steps and lessons that are worth mentioning in this transition period, typically:

The in-depth, flexible and innovative management perspective of UEH’s leadership team at all levels;

The birth of the Steering and Executive Committee of the “Sustainable University” Project in early 2022 as a specialized team, paving the way for specific activities on sustainable development and action of the school;

Consistently implementing the principle of “Democracy – Openness – Fairness” in management and administration activities;

Promoting the effectiveness of the decentralized management model, increasing sovereignty for UEH member colleges;

Proactive coordination and support of UEH functional units with each other and with member colleges.

Thanks to that, UEH has been maintaining its inherent stability and development momentum, and achieves extremely positive results. These are positive signals that help the entire UEH believe in this new journey, creating momentum for the vision of becoming a multidisciplinary university with an academic and sustainable reputation in the Asian region by 2030. Specifically :

Receiving the First Class Independence Medal awarded by the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam according to Decision No. 1686/QD-CTN dated October 26, 2021.

UEH is the first higher education institution in Vietnam to meet European training quality standards with 17 training programs meeting two international standards: FIBAA and AUN-QA.

The Journal of Asian Business and Economic Studies (JABES) is in the SCOPUS Category and is ranked in Q1 for Economics, Econometrics and Finance according to Scimago data.

Increasing its position on a series of prestigious world academic rankings including the first and only economics university in Vietnam to enter the top 401+ QS Asia rankings 2023 (QS Asia University Rankings 2023); Among the Top 1 Best Universities in Vietnam and among the Top 66 Leading Universities in Asia according to the 2022 U-Multirank Ranking; Top 8 Best Universities in Vietnam, leading Economics, Management, Business and Law schools for 4 consecutive years according to the 2022 Webometrics Ranking; Top 298 Best Universities in Asia as announced by SCImago 2022, etc.

In particular, leading 9 Universities in Vietnam and being honored to be among the Top 301-400 Universities in the world contributing to the 17 sustainable development goals of the United Nations according to THE Impact Rankings 2023.

Officially becoming one of seven institutions operating under the Multidisciplinary University model in Vietnam

With internal capacity accumulated throughout the development journey along with sustainable steps and positive achievements in 2 years of transformation, UEH officially received Decision 1146/QD-TTg from the Prime Minister on October 4, 2023, becoming 1 of the 7 higher institutions in Vietnam operating under the model of “Multidisciplinary university”, being consistent and integrated with the system of advanced universities in the world. This is officially an important milestone in the school’s history.

For the entire UEHer, this recognition is a declaration of the end of 2 years of transition, officially entering the phase of focusing all capabilities to join the school in multidisciplinary development and sustainable action. In particular, the prerequisite goal is to create quality, clear and specific programs, policies, training products, research, administration, operations, and community connection. UEH’s new management and operation model is expected to “reinforce” training quality, research capacity, knowledge transfer and community connection, closely associated with modern realities. This is a good launching pad to develop the competitiveness of the UEH brand domestically and internationally, whose direct beneficiaries are generations of learners and officials.

UEH has gone through 47 years full of achievements, this is the crystallization of the intelligence, efforts, solidarity and love of all leaders, lecturers, officers, employees, students, staff and learners through ages, the support of UEH domestic and foreign partners along with the values ​​summed up over time. Entering a new path with a new name – Multidisciplinary and Sustainable University is an extremely important and inevitable challenge for maintaining and promoting the achievements of UEH over the past 47 years, a requirement of the global context, the mission to contribute to human knowledge, and is UEH’s responsibility to society and the country.

“With its core and humanistic values, UEH is ready to continue pioneering in education and research in all fields to continue contributing to development and implementing social responsibility. On the occasion of the school’s establishment, October 27, 1976 – October 27, 2023, let’s congratulate the achievement of the transformation into a Multidisciplinary and Sustainable University of the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City – UEH and together complete the mission and vision of becoming a multidisciplinary university with academic reputation and sustainability in the Asian region by 2030″ – Professor Nguyen Dong Phong – Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman of UEH Council emphasized.

News and photos: UEH Department of Marketing and Communication