Arttech Fusion 2025 (ATF25): Co-creation for a Sustainable Future

02 Oct, 2025

From 24 to 26 September 2025, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) successfully organized the international series ArtTech Fusion 2025 (ATF25) under the theme “Co-creation for a Wondrous Future,” bringing together more than 1,500 experts, researchers, artists, businesses, lecturers, and students from Vietnam and abroad to explore, exchange, and create, opening new pathways at the intersection of art and technology.

International forum on ArtTech and sustainability

ATF25 was not only an academic–artistic event series, but also an international forum connecting academia and the creative community, with the goal of cultivating innovative thinking and encouraging a spirit of co-creation toward building a sustainable society where technology and art progress side by side and mutually reinforce each other.

With the theme “Co-creation for a Wondrous Future,” ATF25 particularly emphasized co-creation in linking technology and art to pave the way for a sustainable future, while honoring and reinterpreting heritage and cultural values as an essential part of crafting distinctive ArtTech experiences.

The three-day international ATF25 program (24–26 September 2025) featured more than 20 international universities and global academic organizations as co-organizers and delivered 35 academic and practical activities, including 09 keynote speeches, 09 special sessions, 13 exhibitions, 02 workshops, 01 competition, and 01 art performance program.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Prof. Dr. Su Dinh Thanh – President of UEH – emphasized: “This year, ATF25 particularly emphasizes the spirit of co-creation in connecting technology and art to open the way to a sustainable future, while honoring and reinterpreting heritage–cultural values as an essential part of crafting unique ArtTech experiences.”

Prof. Dr. Su Dinh Thanh delivering the opening remarks

Panoramic view of the ATF25 opening ceremony

Diverse participation and international stature

The event welcomed UEH leadership and a broad contingent of international guests from Asia, Europe, and the Americas, including California Institute of the Arts (United States); Tsinghua University (China); University of Saint Joseph (Macao); Pantheon Institute of Design & Technology (Italy); State University of Campinas (Brazil); Universiti Sains Malaysia; Berlin School of Economics and Law (Germany); The University of Hong Kong; National Yunlin University of Science and Technology (Taiwan); Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts (China); London South Bank University (United Kingdom); Chulalongkorn University (Thailand); University of Pecs (Hungary); Prince of Songkla University (Thailand); and many other esteemed scholars, artists, and designers, affirming ATF25’s position within the global ArtTech collaboration network.

ATF25 academic program: 09 keynotes, 09 special sessions, and 02 workshops on technology, socio–cultural issues, sustainability, and creative education

The keynote sessions offered in-depth, inspiring new perspectives on ArtTech:

ArtTech inspiration: Co-creating social change, green growth, and a sustainable future

The first keynote, presented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trinh Thuy Anh, focused on strategic orientations in innovation and sustainable development, highlighting ArtTech’s role as a catalyst for social equity, community connection, and green growth, and as a foundation that encourages multidimensional co-creation to drive positive transformation toward a sustainable future.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trinh Thuy Anh presenting a keynote at ATF25

Interdisciplinary design education in the era of Artificial Intelligence

In the AI-themed keynote, Prof. Danqing Shi (Tsinghua University, China) addressed the transformation of design education in the AI era, where boundaries between fields are increasingly blurred, arguing that data, technology, art, and social sciences must be connected to solve complex contemporary problems; the “Atlas of Disciplines,” built from data of one billion users, illustrated the power of interdisciplinarity where knowledge intertwines and cross-pollinates.

Through practical examples and Tsinghua University’s development, Prof. Shi underscored that educational innovation arises not only from curricular content but also from a collaborative mindset and the capacity to learn across resources, concluding with the message: “Designers in the digital era must broaden their horizons and harness the strength of multiple disciplines to create sustainable value for the community.”

Prof. Danqing Shi (Tsinghua University, China) delivering a keynote at ATF25

Co-creating the future of design: How AI is changing the design classroom

Prof. Carlos Sena Caires (Dean of Arts and Humanities, University of Saint Joseph, Macao) offered practical insights into how AI is fundamentally changing teaching and learning in design, noting that AI not only provides technical support but also unlocks new creative modalities – from ideation and image construction to product simulation – shifting classroom roles as lecturers become facilitators while students gain empowered creative agency to co-create with technology; the core message emphasized that AI does not replace humans but builds bridges between people, technology, and academia to shape designers who are more creative, adaptive, and humane.

Prof. Carlos Sena Caires (Dean of Arts and Humanities, University of Saint Joseph, Macao) delivering a keynote at ATF25

Augmented creativity in the AI era: An interdisciplinary approach across branding, research, and art

In the keynote “Augmented Creativity – AI at the Crossroads of Brands, Research and Arts,” Prof. Carsten Baumgarth (HWR Berlin, Germany) argued that AI is becoming an important “creative teammate,” opening new approaches in brand management, scientific research, and the arts, illustrated by empirical evidence that AI can generate more breakthrough ideas than humans in certain contexts while humans can excel in creative depth; combining AI with humans in product development, design, or communications yields markedly higher effectiveness and positive affect.

Prof. Baumgarth’s central thesis is that “augmented creativity” flourishes only when humans know how to select, control, and critically assess AI outputs while bringing domain expertise and cross-disciplinary collaboration, proposing that rather than fearing replacement, society should view AI as democratizing creativity and expanding its frontiers in the digital age.

Prof. Carsten Baumgarth (HWR Berlin, Germany) delivering a keynote at ATF25

smART Hub – Living Labs – Toward a net-zero-carbon campus

UEH ISCM’s “smART Hub” Living Lab is a pioneering, flexible, co-creation-oriented model addressing environmental challenges and sustainable development; aiming for a Net Zero Carbon Campus, the project deploys Digital Twin technology and Environmental Monitoring Sensors to visualize energy, water, and air data, transforming the entire UEH campus into a living laboratory that enables practical learning and research while advancing innovation and sustainability-linked education.

Assoc. Prof. Trinh Tu Anh presenting in the ATF25 keynote program

A symbiotic journey of art and technology in contemporary music

Dr. Ajay Kapur (California Institute of the Arts, United States) presented how he and many artists worldwide integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics into musical instruments, where AI can directly “play” music and interact with performers to create unique harmonies, not merely as auxiliary tools but as expansions of creative horizons into a new musical form in which artist and technology co-create; emphasizing symbiosis, he argued that technology does not replace humans but coexists and complements, enabling exploration of sonic spaces once hard to imagine, enriching, rather than diminishing, the humanistic essence of art in the digital age.

Dr. Ajay Kapur delivering a keynote at ATF25

The illusion of immersion: Why ArtTech’s future lies beyond VR headsets

Prof. Andrea Giansanti (Pantheon Institute of Design & Technology, Italy), with over 15 years’ experience in immersive tech and heritage digitization, argued that while VR/AR is promising, it faces three major constraints – bulky hardware, social isolation, and high costs – contending that smartphones, as globally ubiquitous devices, are a more effective platform for cultural connection and community-scale immersive experiences.

Through case studies, Prof. Giansanti underscored: “True immersion isn’t about blocking out the world – it’s about bringing the world together,” proposing that ArtTech should be developed in a cultural context with an emphasis on sharing and leveraging existing infrastructure rather than waiting for perfect technology.

Prof. Andrea Giansanti (Pantheon Institute of Design & Technology, Italy) delivering a keynote at ATF25

Unlocking visual literacy in the AI era

Prof. Geoff Cox (London South Bank University, United Kingdom) delivered an online keynote titled “Every Image Embodies a Way of Seeing – On Generative AI and Visual Literacy,” examining how generative AI reshapes image production, interpretation, and understanding in contemporary society, building from John Berger’s thesis that “every image is a way of seeing” to argue that AI-generated images are in fact “statistical renderings” based on data and algorithms rather than reflections of reality, expanding visual literacy to encompass not only aesthetic sensibility but also comprehension of mechanisms, data, and power behind the technology; his Ways of Machine Seeing project introduces creative pedagogical activities that help teachers and students approach AI scientifically and critically for broader social value.

Prof. Geoff Cox delivering an online keynote at ATF25

Co-creating ArtTech: A symphony of art, technology, and community

In the keynote on art and technology, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trinh Thuy Anh and Prof. Alvaro presented co-creation in ArtTech as an inevitable trend, with the message that “A wondrous future can only emerge when art, technology, and community harmonize in a symphony of co-creation,” analyzing the global rise of digital co-creation labs (such as Ars Electronica, MIT Media Lab, ZKM) where artists, engineers, scholars, enterprises, and communities collaboratively generate shared value through models including digital platforms, hackathons, living labs, and exhibition–festival formats; drawing on international and Vietnamese examples, they emphasized that multi-stakeholder collaboration not only drives innovation but also helps build a sustainable ArtTech ecosystem.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trinh Thuy Anh and Prof. Alvaro delivering a keynote at ATF25

The experts’ and scholars’ contributions were not purely academic but created opportunities for professionals and students to engage directly with international scholars and artists, broadening horizons and practical applications.

Alongside the keynotes, the special sessions revolved around four core themes:

+ First, new technologies, virtual art experiences, and interactivity opened pioneering perspectives on emerging technologies – from artificial intelligence and virtual/augmented reality to robotics – revealing the potential to shape unprecedented interactive art forms.

+ Second, social, cultural, ethical, and mental health dimensions affirmed the human being as the center of creativity, probing social depth, culture, ethics, and mental health impacts, and asserting that technology only has meaning when it serves people.

+ Third, co-creation for society, environment, and community extended beyond individual creativity to become a driver of social change, nurturing green awareness and co-creating sustainable community solutions.

+ Fourth, creative education, digital competencies, and trend forecasting oriented toward creative pedagogy and digital fluency, preparing the next generation to embrace and even lead future art and design trends.

Speakers sharing in the special sessions

In addition to listening to keynote and special-session insights, ATF25 featured 02 workshops enabling participants not only to listen but also to make and experience directly.

From motion to masterpiece: Audiences as co-authors in a Body-Activated Installation opened a distinctive space where participants were invited into the creative process by exploring and redesigning the sound of the work “Vil nao é o metal” (Vil Is Not the Metal); guided by Prof. Paulo Teles (State University of Campinas – UNICAMP, Brazil) and student collaborators, the session offered “critical provocations” – thoughtful prompts and challenges – on how technology, art, and the human body can connect to shape multicultural awareness.

Prof. Paulo Teles (State University of Campinas – UNICAMP, Brazil) presenting at an ATF25 workshop

The Legend Map: Vietnam

The Legend Map: Vietnam workshop offered a special opportunity for participants to connect personal memories and stories to familiar places through the combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR); initiated in 2023 by Art Center Nabi – Korea’s media art museum – and implemented with citizens in Seoul (Republic of Korea) and Ankara (Türkiye), the project continued in 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City, opening a collective creative space where memory, technology, and art intersect.

Speakers sharing at The Legend Map: Vietnam workshop

Awards ceremony of the competition: Interactive Digital Visual Performance

Beyond keynotes, special sessions, and workshops, ArtTech Fusion 2025 organized the “Interactive Digital Visual Performance” competition as a significant highlight, creating a playground for students to test creative art–technology ideas, while encouraging critical thinking, interdisciplinary learning, and co-creation; through the contest, students honed skills and developed aesthetic thinking integrated with technology, fostering a spirit of lifelong learning and affirming the role of art–technology education in generating sustainable value for community and society.

Outstanding teams receiving awards in the “Interactive Digital Visual Performance” competition

Thirteen exhibitions: A visual and interactive journey

Running in parallel with the conferences, the ATF25 exhibitions offered an immersive, multi-dimensional journey, with works spanning digital art, AR/VR, holograms, and projects blending traditional and contemporary elements.

Visitors admired and experienced augmented reality (AR) integrations in the “Ngoc Ngach” exhibition

The CTRL+ART+CREATE exhibition space showcased outstanding graduation projects from students at universities worldwide

Cultural imagery was vividly re-enacted through AR technology at the “Color of Culture” exhibition.

Exploring the “inner garden” with the work “Tam Hoa” by UEH and FPT students.

Interactive experience with a multicolored light screen installation

The Hologram exhibition, rich in artistic character, was on display at Campus V

The “Goc thoi gian” exhibition space at Campus A

International art performance program – The Harmony of Heritage

The Harmony of Heritage was staged as a seamless artistic journey narrating the growth and creative awakening of a young woman: beginning with Vietnamese folk melodies such as “Trong com,” “Ly Muoi Thuong,” and “Ly Ngua O” evoking familial roots and cultural identity; venturing outward to encounter the Indian sitar of artist Ajay Kapur – an invitation to explore the East; and then blending into a European symphony performed by the ICO HCMC orchestra, symbolizing learning and integration; the journey returned to Vietnam with an EDM piece infused with traditional motifs over a LED visual backdrop, opening a youthful, modern artistic space; the “Map of Culture” ceremonial moment with participation from multiple countries and a multicolored “digital heritage wall” underscored cross-border co-creation; concluding with the chorus “The Harmony of Heritage,” the program conveyed that heritage is both root and foundation for future creativity, where art and technology harmonize in a spirit of integration and sustainability.

Performances showcased high levels of ArtTech and rich Vietnamese cultural identity

The program’s symbolic heritage jewel shone in fullness alongside the values of Connection – Love – Converging – Co-creation – Intellectual – Multi-culture

This year, under the theme “Co-creation for a Wondrous Future”, ATF25 emphasized honoring and reimagining cultural heritage as the foundation for distinctive ArtTech experiences, reflecting UEH’s commitment to innovation-led education, contributing to the global creative ecosystem, and spreading sustainable values to the community; after three vibrant days, ATF25 concluded with powerful resonance as thousands of audiences, students, experts, and artists shared a complete art–technology journey, transforming ATF25 from an academic event into a cross-border cultural, academic, and creative bridge and a clear testament to the power of co-creation in shaping a humane, sustainable future.