In 2025, the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) continued implementing its policy of providing healthy, safe and affordable food choices for students, staff and visitors through university-managed canteens and food outlets in Ho Chi Minh City and at UEH Mekong. Article 17(1) of the Green Campus Practice Regulation requires food-service providers to offer nutritious meals at reasonable prices, meet food-safety requirements and ensure clear product origins.
The policy was implemented through canteens at the Nguyen Van Linh campus, Campus B and student residences, together with campus convenience stores. Operators were selected and supervised through service contracts with hygiene and food-safety obligations. A new agreement for the N1 building canteen at the Nguyen Van Linh campus was signed on 10 April 2025, alongside continued operation of other food-service facilities.
UEH also maintained shared microwaves, filtered-water stations and facilities that enabled students to bring or prepare meals at lower cost. During Food Safety Action Month 2025, the Department of Student Affairs shared guidance on choosing, storing and preparing safe food and maintaining balanced nutrition. These measures complemented the ongoing provision of affordable meals by campus food-service operators.
By combining requirements for healthy food sourcing, contractual supplier management, and support for healthy eating habits, UEH facilitates access to food options for the university community that suit their health needs and affordability.
The Green University Practice Regulations – Requirements for All On-Campus Food Providers: Applicable to all canteens, supermarkets, shops, and meal providers operating on the campuses of UEH (Ho Chi Minh City) and UEH Mekong (Vinh Long), including contracted service providers.
In 2025, UEH continued to apply the Green Campus Practice Regulations to food and service providers under the university’s management in Ho Chi Minh City and UEH Mekong.
The terms directly related to providing healthy, affordable food include:
- Article 17, Clause 1 – Responsibilities of the goods and services provider: Requires the provision of healthy food for students, staff, workers, and visitors, and the provision of food at reasonable prices.
- Article 6 – Ethical Supply Chain Policy: This serves as the basis for managing supply chain activities and selecting suppliers according to the requirements published by UEH.
- Article 25, paragraph 3 – Enforcement sanctions: Service providers violating regulations may be evaluated and reviewed during the contract renewal process.
Specifically, Article 17, paragraph 1, is a requirement applicable to service providers at UEH, not just the canteen directly operated by the University.
Image: UEH’s Green Campus Practice Regulations
Source 2 – UEH Future, “2.3.4. Healthy and affordable food choices”, November 6, 2025:
https://future.ueh.edu.vn/en/234-healthy-and-affordable-food-choices/
Results: UEH maintains the requirement to provide healthy and reasonably priced food in its food service management system. Food suppliers under the University’s management are governed by the Green University Practice Regulations and the corresponding operating conditions in their contracts.
System for managing food supply points on the UEH campus by 2025
In addition to the Green University Practice Regulations, UEH manages food service operations at its facilities through the selection of operators and the signing of contracts for the use of premises and services. This mechanism allows the University to determine the purpose of service, scope of operation, responsibilities for hygiene and food safety, and compliance conditions of businesses operating on campus.
In 2025, the food service system continued to operate under valid contracts, notably including the canteen on the first floor of building N1 at the Nguyen Van Linh campus, the canteen in area B2, the canteen at the dormitory at 43-45 Nguyen Chi Thanh, and the Co.opSmile convenience stores in the dormitories. In particular, contract number 0404/HĐ-UEH-DNH dated April 10, 2025, regarding the operation of the canteen at campus N, serves as evidence of the management and organization of food service provision during the evaluation year.
Through contractual mechanisms and the Green University Practice Regulations, UEH maintains the management of food suppliers to serve the dining needs of the university community with requirements for quality, safety, and reasonable prices.
| Food supply point | Operating unit | Contract – Term | Key Terms |
| Canteen on the first floor of building N1, campus N (Nguyen Van Linh Street, Phong Phu Commune) – 193 m² | DNH Investment and Development Joint Stock Company | Contract No. 0404/HĐ-UEH-DNH dated April 10, 2025 (after auction on April 9, 2025); 36 months | Serving students and staff.
The contract provided for no rental fees during the months when the school does not hold in-person classes (summer break, Tet holiday, online learning), reducing costs for the operating unit. |
| Ground floor canteen, Block B2, Campus B (279 Nguyen Tri Phuong, District 10) – 208.4 m² | DNH Investment and Development Joint Stock Company | Lease agreement for the premises in 2023 (after the auction on March 20, 2023); 3 years from May 5, 2023 | The sole purpose: the canteen serves students and staff. |
| Canteen at Dormitory 43–45 Nguyen Chi Thanh (District 5) – 135 m² | DNH Investment and Development Joint Stock Company | Contract No. 231101/HĐTVP, November 2023 (after auction on June 30, 2023) | Operating hours are from 6:30 AM to 9:30 PM daily, including Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. |
| Co.opSmile convenience stores are located at Dormitory 43 Nguyen Chi Thanh and Dormitory 135 Tran Hung Dao. | Saigon Co.op Department Store Company Limited (Saigon Co.op system) | Lease agreement effective from January 2, 2021, for a term of 5 years; appendix for legal entity conversion effective from April 1, 2023. | Provide food and essential supplies from reputable retail sources to boarding students. |
By 2025, all food service establishments under UEH’s management were required to apply the requirements of Article 17, Clause 1 of the Green University Practice Regulations, including providing healthy and reasonably priced food for students, staff, employees, and visitors to the university. Operating units will be managed through contracts and will be supervised by UEH regarding the intended use of the premises, hygiene conditions, food safety, and compliance with the university’s regulations.
The canteens within the UEH system maintain a healthy food selection, including vegetarian options, to meet the diverse dietary needs of the university community by 2025.
| Policies / Activities | Scope of application | Deployment | Result |
| Healthy and reasonably priced canteens at UEH campuses. | Students, staff, and visitors at UEH campuses and dormitories. | In 2025, UEH continued to maintain on-campus food service points to meet the daily meal needs of students, staff, and workers. The system includes canteens, food stores, and convenience stores located at training facilities and dormitories under the University’s management.
At the Nguyen Van Linh campus, the canteen and convenience store system is invested in and arranged in a way that is consistent with the living amenities of students. In accordance with the UEH Green Food Policy, UEH canteens offer a selection of healthy, vegetarian, and environmentally friendly food at reasonable prices, while ensuring hygiene and food safety.
Image: The canteen ensures quality service and meets the dining needs of students at the Nguyen Van Linh campus. Source of evidence: Nguyen Van Linh Campus – UEH’s green, smart, and international learning space (UEH Portal – page without a posting date, image uploaded September 13, 2025) – Original image file
Image: Supermarket and convenience store serving students at the Nguyen Van Linh campus. Source of evidence: Nguyen Van Linh Campus – UEH’s green, smart, and international learning space (UEH Portal – page without a posting date, image uploaded September 13, 2025) – Original image file |
Providing food at reasonable prices is established as the responsibility of service providers at UEH, according to Article 17, Clause 1 of the Green University Practice Regulations. At the same time, UEH facilitates students’ choice of meal options that suit their budget, through the system of canteens, convenience stores, and facilities supporting self-preparation of meals on campus.
In 2025, the cafeterias continued to offer healthy food options, vegetarian dishes, and foods suitable for students’ needs, while ensuring food safety and reasonable prices as regulated by the University. The meals at UEH are reasonably priced, ranging from 30,000 to 35,000 VND (equivalent to 1.5 USD). |
| Nutrition and Food Safety Guidelines – Food Safety Action Month 2025 | All UEH students. | The Student Care Department has posted guidelines on the WHO’s 10 Golden Rules of Food Safety, the Ministry of Health’s balanced nutrition pyramid for adults, and the 6-step handwashing procedure.
Students are encouraged to prepare their own meals that are palatable and nutritious, and to choose hygienic canteen options.
Image: The balanced nutrition pyramid for adults. Source of evidence: Food Safety Action Month 2025 (UEH Portal, April 15, 2025) – Original image file
Image: UEH students choose clean and hygienic canteen areas as their dining spots. Source of evidence: Food Safety Action Month 2025 (UEH Portal, April 15, 2025) – Original image file |
Students are equipped with the knowledge to choose healthy, safe, and affordable meals. |
| Infrastructure to support budget-friendly meals: microwave ovens, water purifiers, vending machines. | Students and staff at UEH campuses. | Microwave ovens were provided for students and staff to heat up their brought-on food (Campus N and other campuses).
Water dispensers with paper cups along the hallway, vending machines, automatic coffee machines.
Image: Microwave ovens for staff and students, and water purifiers along the hallway. Source of evidence: UEH Green Campus – Sustainable Food Procurement (UEH Green Campus) |
Students save on food costs by bringing their own meals and drinks. |
| Affordable food for students – a collaboration between UEH and SATRA | Students and staff at UEH campuses and dormitories. | On June 19, 2025, UEH and SATRA signed a cooperation agreement for the period 2025–2030, including a welfare program for staff and students.
According to the cooperation plan: vending machines, Satrafoods stores on campus; discounts for students and staff; “green hour” deals for lunch and dinner; mobile market for clean agricultural products at the dormitory.
Image: Overview of the signing ceremony of the cooperation agreement between UEH and SATRA Source of evidence: UEH and Saigon Trading Corporation – Limited Liability Company (SATRA) signed a cooperation agreement (UEH Portal, June 20, 2025) |
UEH and Saigon Trading Corporation – Limited Liability Company (SATRA) completed the signing of a cooperation agreement for the period 2025–2030 on June 19, 2025, forming a basis for long-term cooperation to develop utility and welfare programs for the UEH community.
Based on the agreement, both parties plan to gradually implement, starting in 2026, solutions to support access to food and essential goods at reasonable prices, including convenience stores, discount programs for students, and activities promoting clean agricultural products. |
Results of implementation and continuity of the healthy, affordable food provision program in 2025
In 2025, UEH continued to maintain its food service system for students, staff, workers, and visitors, in accordance with the Green University Practice Regulations on providing healthy, safe, and reasonably priced food. Managing food suppliers through general regulations and operating contracts contributes to ensuring uniformity in service responsibilities, hygiene, and service quality within the university campus.
Continuing the activities implemented in 2024, UEH continues to refine the management mechanism of its canteen and food store system, notably by signing a contract to operate the canteen at the Nguyen Van Linh campus in April 2025. Simultaneously, a communication program on food safety and nutrition helps students raise awareness and develop habits of choosing balanced meals suitable to their living conditions. In addition to the existing service system, the cooperation agreement with SATRA, signed in 2025, lays the foundation for further development of solutions to provide safe and affordable food in the next phase.
By incorporating requirements for suppliers, maintaining on-campus catering services, and supporting students in choosing appropriate food, UEH continues to strive towards a university environment that cares about the nutritional health and affordability of the community, contributing to the achievement of SDG 2 – Zero Hunger and SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being.