UEH organizing the National Conference on Circular Economy – Direction for Sustainable Development

On the morning of October 25, 2023, at Hall A – Vinh Long Campus, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) coordinated with the Department of Planning and Investment of Vinh Long Province, National Economics University, School of Economics – Can Tho University to organize a national conference with the theme “Circular Economy – Directions for sustainable development”.

Attending the Conference, there was the presence of Dr. Bui Quang Hung – UEH Vice President and Director of Vinh Long Campus (VLC); Associate Professor, Dr. Phan Thi Bich Nguyet – Chairwoman of the Strategy and Policy Advisory Council, Former Vice President of UEH; Prof. Dr. Nguyen Trong Hoai – Editor-in-Chief of JABES, Former Vice President of UEH; Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Khanh Nam – Vice Head of UEH College of Economics, Law and Government (CELG); Dr. Dinh Thi Thu Hong – Vice Head of UEH College of Business (COB); Prof.Dr. To Trung Thanh – Head of Department of Scientific Management, National Economics University; Mr. Nguyen Khac Nhu – Deputy Director of the Department of Home Affairs of Vinh Long province, Former Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Investment of Vinh Long province; Dr. Bui Xuan Thanh – Head of UEH School of Politics; Dr. Hoang Hai Yen – Dean of COB School of Banking; Dr. Tran Anh Hoa – Dean of COB School of Accounting; Department leaders, lecturers of schools, institutes and main campus students; Board of Directors, lecturers, students of Vinh Long Campus; Representatives of Departments, Divisions, Branches, Universities and Colleges inside and outside Vinh Long Province; Science & Technology Associations, Informatics Association, Businessmen Association, banks, businesses, and cooperatives in the province.

Conference speakers included Prof.Dr. Nguyen Trong Hoai, Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Khanh Nam; Mr. Nguyen Anh Minh – General Director of Thai Do Industrial Park Joint Stock Company – located in Nam Cau Kien Eco-Industrial Park, Hai Phong; Dr. Nguyen Tram Anh – National Technical Specialist of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Huong – Chief of Office of Ho Chi Minh City Export Processing Zone and Industrial Park Authority (HEPZA).

Overview of the Conference

The conference was live to create a forum for exchanging and sharing about the circular economy model between academicians, agencies, commercial banks and businesses in the Mekong River Delta region. In particular, it focused on issues of the Circular Economy with sustainable development, circular business models, and the relationship between the Circular Economy and the 4.0 industrial revolution, thereby proposing solutions and policy implications that contributed to the effective implementation of circular economy, promoting sustainable development of Vietnam, including the Mekong Delta region in the upcoming time.

Speaking at the opening of the Conference, Dr. Bui Quang Hung – Vice President of UEH and Director of VLC – shared: “Circular economy – Direction for sustainable development is an attractive, practical and meaningful conference topic in sustainable development in Vietnam in general and in the Mekong Delta region in particular in the upcoming time. The concept of circular economy has been recognized and is a practical solution for the sustainable development of countries around the world. The activities of the circular economy model help reuse limited resources, minimizing the impact of climate change and environmental pollution. Vietnam is a country heavily affected by climate change; therefore, applying the circular economy model in Vietnam is inevitable in the context of increasingly depleted resources. For the Mekong Delta region, applying the circular economy model will help this region protect the natural ecology and develop sustainably in the future, focusing on a growth model toward innovation and minimizing harm to the surrounding environment. With the mission of a multidisciplinary University, UEH has implemented many green and sustainable development strategies in the Mekong Delta region with the desire to contribute to creating economic growth opportunities and minimizing negative impacts on the environment, supporting the implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and facing the challenge of climate change”.

Dr. Bui Quang Hung – Vice President of UEH and Director of VLC – delivering the opening speech at the Conference

Since its inception, the Conference has attracted a lot of attention from specialists and academicians and received 85 presentations addressing different aspects of circular economy with sustainable development, circular business models, and the relationship between circular economy with financial effectiveness and the company value, thereby, proposing policy implications that contribute to the effective implementation of circular economy, promoting sustainable development of Vietnam including the Mekong Delta region. Within the framework of the Conference, speakers presented important content about circular economy principles and models; resources for the circular economy development process and some practical applications of the circular economy model in Vietnamese businesses.

The topics and presentations attracted the attention of many delegates and guests, with many questions and practical issues raised and discussed at the Conference. In addition, to be able to discuss in detail the contents of the circular economy model, the conference organized 3 parallel sessions: Session A: Principles and circular economy models; Session B: Resources for circular economy development and Session C: Applying circular economy in Vietnam.

Prof.Dr. Nguyen Trong Hoai – Editor-in-Chief of JABES-UEH – presenting the paper “Circular Economy Model: A Case Study from Business Approach”

Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Khanh Nam – Vice Head of UEH College of Economics, Law and Government – presenting the paper “Measuring Circular Economy in Vietnam”

Mr. Nguyen Khac Nhu – Deputy Director of the Department of Home Affairs and Former Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Investment of Vinh Long Province – presenting the topic “Circular Economy – Suitable Directions in the Context of Implementing Sustainable Development Goals and Responding to Climate Change in Vinh Long”

Mr. Nguyen Anh Minh – General Director of Thai Do Industrial Park Joint Stock Company (a member unit of Shinec) – reporting his experience in implementing the circular economy model at the enterprise

Dr. Nguyen Tram Anh – National technical expert of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) – presenting the topic “Developing eco-industrial parks to promote the implementation of circular economy”

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong – Lecturer at Southern Can Tho University – presenting the topic “Legislation on forced measures to overcome environmental pollution” at Session A

A group of students from the School of Finance – UEH College of Business – presenting the topic “The impact of foreign direct investment and economic growth on air pollution: Evidence from ASEAN 5 and China” at Session A

Ms. Tran Thi Phuong Thanh – Lecturer at the School of Accounting, UEH College of Business – presenting the topic “The impact of disclosing greenhouse gas emissions information on the market value of listed companies in Vietnam” at Session B

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Long – Lecturer of the School of Finance and Banking, VLC – presenting the topic “Country Governance And Renewable Energy Consumption: Evident From Financial Development Perspective” at Session B

Ms. Le Huynh Nhu – Lecturer at Bac Lieu University – presenting the topic “Financial Resources Serving Sustainable Development Goals: The Case of Vietnam” at Session B

Dr. Nguyen Huu Huan – Lecturer at the School of Banking, UEH College of Business – presenting the topic “Circular Economy and Approaches for Vinh Long Province” at Session C

Mr. Le Van – Lecturer at UEH Institute of Innovation – presenting the topic “Sustainable Development in the Mekong Delta from the Perspective of Provincial Green Index (PGI)” at Session C

Mr. Vo Duy Khanh – Endota Company – presenting the topic “The current status of applying the circular economy model by treating agricultural waste with black soldier flies at Endota Company” at Session C

Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Huong – Chief of Office of Ho Chi Minh City Export Processing Zones and Industrial Authority (HEPZA) – presenting the topic “Sharing experiences in developing industrial parks following the UNIDO approach” at Session C

The conference took place successfully and received many studies and opinions with important contributions to the circular economy model in Vietnam in general and the Mekong Delta Region in particular. At the same time, it proposed recommendations on solutions and policies to develop the circular economy model in the upcoming time, contributing to creating economic growth opportunities, minimizing negative impacts on the environment, supporting the implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDG), and facing the challenge of climate change.

Delegates taking some photos at the Conference

Additional images of the Conference:

News and photos: UEH Vinh Long Campus (School of Science and Technology, Department of Admissions and Communication)

Newspapers and radio reporting on the Conference

1. Tuoi tre newspaper: Doanh nghiệp còn khó khăn khi chuyển mô hình kinh tế tuần hoàn

2. Nhan dan newspaper: Kinh tế tuần hoàn – Hướng đi cho phát triển bền vững

3. Vietnam News Agency: Kinh tế tuần hoàn – Hướng đi cho phát triển bền vững

4. Vinh Long newspaper: Kinh tế tuần hoàn – Hương đi cho phát triển bền vững