UEH News

RTD 2024: Outstanding Contributions in Technology and Design to Global Sustainability

Impressive moments of RTD Conference 2024

Impressive statistics

More than 1,000 guests, delegates, and interested students attended in Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta.

More than 200 world-leading scientists and experts attended and shared.

129 research articles and presentations (at a rate of 30% international articles) on technology and sustainability topics were conducted.

Nearly 60 discussion sessions, special sessions, parallel discussion sessions, and international cooperation sessions related to the topic of promoting sustainability through technology and design took place successfully.

The initiatives towards solving urgent problems of the Mekong Delta were discussed.

The activities of exchange, cooperation, transfer of science, engineering - technology and development of solutions, technology applications, design and innovation in various fields are deployed.

RTD 2024 is a strong effort of Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics (UEH) and other prestigious universities from more than 18 countries around the world listed as England, America, Germany, Italy, Belgium, China, Japan. Japan, Australia, Korea, Macau, Singapore, Taiwan, Czech Republic, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, New Zealand, India and more towards implementing global sustainability goals.

Delegates and experts from 18 countries attend the RTD 2024 conference

Spreading knowledge and technology trends - design towards sustainability

During the two days of July 15 and 16 in Ho Chi Minh City, 8 discussion sessions, 11 special sessions and parallel discussion sessions took place evolving the topic “Fostering Sustainability - Promoting sustainability”.

At special sessions, the scholars discussed the importance of cutting-edge technology, innovative design methods, and comprehensive data analytics in creating solutions that align with the principles of environmental responsibility, economic viability and social equity towards urban, regional and societal sustainability. To be in further details as follows:

- Nature-based Solutions for Smart City Development - Nature-based solutions for smart urban development;

- Big Data, AI, ML, DL, and Cloud Computing in Sustainable Practices - Big Data, AI, ML, DL and Cloud Computing in sustainable practices;

- City Image and City Branding - City Image and City Branding;

- Advanced Control Robotics - Advanced Control Robot;

- Sustainability - Sustainable;

- Deep Tech: Innovations and Startups - Deep Tech: Innovation and Startups;

- ArtTech in Asia: Trends and Fusion of a New Era - Asian Art Technology: Trends and Integration of a New Field;

- Digital Twin and Smart City - Digital Twin and Smart City;

- Systematic Creativity Towards Sustainability - Creativity Towards Sustainability.

Aiming at solutions to promote sustainability, the keynote speakers’ presentations revolved around new perspectives on smart urban construction, with many innovative initiatives in city transportation infrastructure; researches into the application of neuroscience and AI technology in sustainable development; Smart agricultural robots are and will change the face of the agricultural industry; and a perspective on the lack of understanding of the innovation ecosystem that is leading to slow adoption of digital technology applications and so on.

In recent years, UEH has aimed to become a leading educational and research institution in Vietnam and achieved the outstanding name and reputation in the world and the region. Currently, UEH focuses on contributing to the development sustainable development of society, through various activities listed as sharing knowledge, raising social awareness, spreading sustainable actions in the community, consulting on policies and contributing to localities, training and contributing to building the capacity of high-quality core human resources in the public and private sectors, promoting solutions towards sustainable development and so on.

Dr. Sangwoo Park - Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Korea -presenting the main presentation "Smart City Strategy of Korea"

Professor Álvaro Barbosa - Vice President of Saint Joseph University, Macau - presenting the main paper "Benchmarking Sustainability: Neurosciences and AI Tech Research in Macau"

Professor Wei-Chih Lin - Sun Yat-sen National University, Taiwan - presenting the main paper "Smart Agricultural Robots Transforming the Current and Future of Farming"

Prof. Wim Vanhaverbeke – Antwerp University, Belgium - presenting the main research "How Lack of Innovation Ecosystem Understanding is Leading to Slow Adoption of Digital Technology Applications: Examples from Digital Healthcare and Precision Agriculture"

Mr. Hoang Tung - Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of Thu Duc City People's Committee - presenting at the special session "Digital Twin and Smart City"

Associate Professor, PhD. Bui Quang Hung - Deputy Director of UEH - chairing the special session "Sustainability"

Professor Marchigiani Elena - University of Trieste, Italy – chairing the special session "Nature based Solutions for Smart City Development"

Associate Professor, PhD. Trinh Thuy Anh - Vice Principal of UEH School of Technology and Design (CTD) - chairing the special session "ArtTech in Asia: Trends and Fusion of a New Era" and giving souvenirs to speakers.

Dr. Trinh Tu Anh - Director of UEH Institute of Smart Cities and Management (ISCM) - chairing the special session "City Image and City Branding" and giving souvenirs to speakers.

From July 17 - 18, RTD took place in the Mekong Delta Region (UEH - Vinh Long) with the theme “For a More Sustainable Mekong Delta - Towards a more sustainable Mekong Delta”. To be illustrated as follows:

- 3 discussion sessions of local Departments and branches discussing: Digital transformation for sustainable development; The role of AI Technology in sustainable education; Entrepreneurship and innovation in the digital era in the Mekong Delta.

- 4 discussion sessions by foreign experts and scholars focusing on the topics: Socio-ecological transformation for the Mekong Delta; Nature-based solutions for sustainable coastal cities; Sowing seeds for sustainable food systems; Research on programming networks in agriculture and Sustainable Energy.

- 2 special discussion sessions on the topic: “Innovation Ecosystem in Mekong Delta - Innovation Ecosystem in the Mekong Delta” and “Sustainable Energy - Sustainable Energy”; with 5 parallel discussion sessions.

The sharing of international speakers contributed solutions and initiatives for improving telecommunications and information technology infrastructure, supporting the development of digital services and smart connections;  solutions for developing sustainable food systems, from improving agricultural production to effective resource management and enhancing food security; Nature-based solutions to develop sustainable coastal cities, taking Macao as an example, to minimize the impact of climate change and enhance the adaptive capacity of coastal cities and so on.

The speakers believed that local leaders and managers contributed diverse practical ideas and solutions, listed as applying digital transformation towards improving the efficiency of management and public services and using artificial intelligence to improve the quality of education and to promote entrepreneurship and innovation to prepare resources and to create a favorable environment and sustainable economic development for the Mekong Delta.

Dr. Lu Quang Ngoi - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of Vinh Long Provincial People's Committee – speaking

Professor Kelly Shannon and Professor Bruno De Meulder - KU Leuven University, Belgium - presenting the topic "A Socio-Ecological Turn for the Mekong Delta: Accentuating Indigenous Logics"

Professor Karen Tagulao - Saint Joseph University, Macao - presenting the topic "Nature-based Solutions for a Sustainable Coastal City: Macao as a Case Study"

Professor Lesly Goh - Fullbright Specialist - presenting the topic "Sowing the Seeds for More Sustainable Food System"

Professor Javed I. Khan - Kent State University, USA - presenting the topic "Research in Programmable Networking"

Ms. Doan Thi Hong Hanh - Director of the Department of Information and Communications of Vinh Long Province - presenting the topic "Digital Transformation Issues towards Sustainable Development in Vinh Long"

Mr. Trinh Van Ngoan - Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Vinh Long Province - presenting the topic "AI Technology in Sustainable Education"

Mr. Ngo Anh Tin, Director of Can Tho City Department of Science and Technology, Can Tho, presenting the theme "Entrepreunership and Innovation in the Digital Era in the Mekong Delta"

Speakers discussing at the special session on "Innovation Ecosystem in Mekong Delta"

In addition, the RTD 2024 Organizing Committee awarded the Best Paper Award to the 06 best research papers of the conference: Humidity-based rapid response non-contact sensor used 2D material (Enkhzaya Ganbold, Eun Seong Kim, Nam Young Kim); Outdoor content creation for holographic stereograms with Interpolations (Philippe Gentet Matteo Coffin, Seung-Hyun Lee); Fostering Innovative Vision: Empowering Architectural and Urban Design Students through Practical Projects within University Campuses (Tam Do Le Phuc, Toan Le, Tran Thi Quynh Mai, Nguyen Hoai Pham, Tu Anh Trinh); A Study of Self-Training Model for Mango Segmentation of Sorting System Automatically’’ (Nguyen Minh Trieu, Tran Dang Bong, Nguyen Truong Thinh); Modeling World Gold Price by Deep Learning Methods (Vo Tran Lam Anh, Tran Viet Anh, Nguyen Le Nhu Ngoc, Nguyen Hoang Thai); Game Design based on Ai-Lan Pazeh Culture ( Hsiu Ching Hsieh; Tzu Chi Hsu).  

In addition to discussion sessions and seminars, RTD 2024 left a bold impression with the UEH Green Zone exhibition area creating a green lifestyle for the young generation, green energy initiatives, and green materials that can be applied to the environment. used in daily life and business activities. Besides, there are advanced scientific and technological solutions, aiming at the sustainable lifestyle of units and businesses.

Exhibition space at the RTD 2024 conference

In addition, units listed as the Institute of Smart Cities and Management (ISCM), the Faculty of Communication Design (SMD), the Institute of Intelligent and Interactive Technology (3I) met, exchanged information and signed agreements regarding the cooperation with foreign partners on technology and sustainability projects.

UEH Faculties/Institutes meeting, exchanging and signing cooperation agreements with foreign partners attending the conference

After completing the discussion sessions and the thematic exchanges, the experts and the scientists went on a field trip to Vinh Long. This trip is not only for research, sightseeing, and field surveys but also a valuable opportunity to promote tourism and multinational cultural exchanges. It can be stated that RTD 2024 is not only a place for academic exchange, spreading knowledge, and finding technological solutions for a sustainable community but also a place for cultural interference and exchange, contributing to creating a sustainable community. connecting wire of a sustainable, global technology community.

Experts and scientists visiting the field in Vinh Long

A continuing journey

RTD is an annual conference organized every 2 years by University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) in collaboration with more than 10 leading prestigious universities in the world with the goal of sharing and contributing technology solutions and designs with the purpose of achieving global sustainability goals.

In 2022, when it first appeared with the topic Smart Living, the RTD conference attracted more than 30 scientists, experts, and professors to attend. After the first success, a number of research and projects in the fields of smart and sustainable urban areas, creative design, AI and robotics and more have been implemented listed as: Living Lab to build modern urban areas, City branding for cities in Vietnam, designing and building VR games, designing AR products, robots for patient care and nursing, performing arts robots, robots in service fields listed as making coffee and reception and more.

Returning on a larger and more professional scale, RTD 2024 has attracted more than 200 scientists, experts, and professors from 18 countries around the world to share about the role of advanced technology and methods. Innovative design and comprehensive data analysis in creating solutions aligned with principles of environmental, social, and economic responsibility towards sustainable action and better quality of life for human. Since then, many opportunities for integrated research cooperation have opened up in fields related to technology, design, and art. At the same time, the program received the companionship and the sponsorship of the Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam - Vietcombank.

It can be affirmed that RTD is one of the initiatives with international reach and is creating the promising collaborative relationships between researchers around the world to jointly implement development solutions for global development.

A journey of spreading knowledge for a sustainable future has been maintained and continued - demonstrating UEH’s strong commitment to global sustainable development!

*Please refer to RTD 2024 Yearbook HERE.

Additional images at RTD 2024 Conference:

*Conference Program in Ho Chi Minh City on July 15 & 16:

UEH leaders welcoming Dr. Sangwoo Park - Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Korea - coming to UEH and presenting at RTD 2024

Overview of the opening session of the RTD workshop in Ho Chi Minh City

Dr. Sangwoo Park - Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Korea - and representatives of UEH leadership taking souvenir photos after the keynote presentation

Speakers, guests, experts, lecturers, and students taking commemorative photos after the presentations’ completion

Exhibition space for technology, sustainability, and coffee making robots at the conference

*Conference Program in Vinh Long Province on July 17 & 18:

Representatives of UEH leaders and leaders of Mekong Delta Departments and Agencies at the Conference

Overview of the opening session of the RTD Conference in Vinh Long

GS. Wei-Chih Lin and colleagues from National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan presenting their paper

Associate Professor, PhD. Phan Thi Bich Nguyet - Chairwoman of the UEH Strategy and Policy Advisory Council - giving souvenirs to Professor. Christopher Han and Program speakers

Delegates visiting the ArtTech painting exhibition area

Delegates visiting the Vinh Long specialty fruit boat display area

Panorama of the exhibition of art paintings and OCOP products with cultural characteristics of Vinh Long Province and the Mekong Delta Region

International delegates visiting the booths and enjoying local fruit specialties and products with cultural characteristics of Vinh Long Province and the Mekong Delta Region.

News, photos: UEH Department of Marketing and Communication, Organizing Board of RTD 2024

The press agency reported:

- Vietnam News: International symposium promotes sustainability

- Voice of Vietnam: Conference discusses role of technology and design in fostering sustainability

- Vietnam Plus: International symposium fosters sustainability

- Vietnam Plus: International conference seeks solutions for sustainable Mekong Delta