UEH Collaborates with Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies: Connecting Knowledge for Sustainable Urban Development

04 Aug, 2025

In the spirit of collaborative development, strategic partnership, and mutual support - leveraging the strengths and advantages of both institutions - on July 31, 2025, at Campus A, 59C Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) and the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies (HIDS) held a working session to coordinate the implementation of a joint research cooperation program, contributing to the sustainable development of Ho Chi Minh City.

Representing the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies (HIDS) were Dr. Truong Minh Huy Vu – Director; Mr. Pham Binh An, MA – Deputy Director; Mr. Tran Van Phuong, MA – Chief of the Office; and other specialists. Joining them were experts including Mr. Tran Van Bich, MA – Head of the Economic Development Research Division; Dr. Pham Tran Hai – Deputy Head of the Urban Management Research Division; Mr. Le Thanh Hai, MA – Director of the Center for Economic Application Consulting; and Mr. Huynh Minh Vu, MA – Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Center for International Integration Support.

Welcoming the delegation on behalf of the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) were Prof.Dr. Su Dinh Thanh – President of UEH; Prof.Dr. Nguyen Khac Quoc Bao – Vice President of UEH; Assoc.Prof.Dr. Phan Thi Bich Nguyet – Chairwoman of the UEH Strategic and Policy Advisory Council; Mr. Le Dong Du, MA – Deputy Chief Standing Officer of the University Office; Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Phong Nguyen – Standing Deputy Head of the Department of Research, Development and Global Engagement; Mr. Truong Minh Kiet, MA – Standing Deputy Head of the Department of Communications and Partnerships; Assoc.Prof.Dr. Trinh Tu Anh – Director of the Institute of Smart City and Management, UEH College of Technology and Design; and Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Thi Hong Nham – Vice Director of the UEH Institute of Innovation.

An overview of the program

Speaking at the meeting, Prof. Dr. Su Dinh Thanh – President of UEH – remarked:
“With the merger of Ho Chi Minh City, Ba Ria–Vung Tau Province, and Binh Duong Province, the new Ho Chi Minh City presents numerous aspects that require attention and effective exploitation. In recent years, the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City has actively collaborated with municipal departments and agencies, delivering research projects and implementing programs and policies to support the city’s development. Our cooperation with the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies further reaffirms UEH’s role in conducting research, providing recommendations, and contributing to the formulation of socio-economic indicators for the newly expanded Ho Chi Minh City.”

Prof. Dr. Su Dinh Thanh – President of UEH – delivering remarks at the meeting.

Dr. Truong Minh Huy Vu – Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies – emphasized that strategic partners, particularly universities, play a crucial role in policy research, project development, and the training of a new generation of high-quality young human resources, thereby contributing to the development of the new Ho Chi Minh City in line with its vision as a “national leading mega-urban center.”

“We highly value UEH’s academic strength and the applicability of its research. HIDS looks forward to long-term collaboration with UEH in providing scientific evidence to support the City’s governance, especially in the context of developing an innovative and green urban environment,” Dr. Huy Vu shared.

Dr. Truong Minh Huy Vu – Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies – delivering remarks at the program.

At the meeting, the two parties discussed and reached an agreement on the implementation mechanism for five key areas of cooperation for the 2025–2026 period, specifically:

+ Researching solutions and approaches for restructuring state-owned enterprises (SOEs) under the management of Ho Chi Minh City: UEH will assign experts to provide feedback and collaborate with HIDS in developing outlines, thematic reports, and organizing in-depth workshops to assess the current situation and propose restructuring solutions for SOEs managed by the city. Through this cooperation, both sides aim to enhance operational efficiency and governance of SOEs in the context of economic transformation and integration.

+ Participating in research, providing feedback, and developing the socio-economic indicator system for the draft Political Report serving the Ho Chi Minh City Party Congress, 2025–2030 term: UEH will assign experts to assess the socio-economic development status of Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, and Ba Ria–Vung Tau during the 2020–2025 period, and work with HIDS to develop a set of indicators to guide development planning and the preparation of the Party Congress documents for the upcoming term. Leveraging its expertise in macroeconomic research and specialized areas such as finance, urban studies, and public policy, UEH will contribute scientific evidence to the city’s overall development objectives for the next five years.

+ Researching and proposing development orientations for the Southeast Region and its provinces, and co-organizing a conference on the Southeast Region’s development direction—particularly taking the lead in implementing the Provincial Planning Adjustment Project for Dong Nai: This is a necessary preparatory step for building a sustainable regional development model that connects the central economic hub with surrounding satellite localities.

+ Researching and proposing socio-economic development orientations for Ho Chi Minh City: The two institutions will jointly propose studies on mechanisms and policies for urban green transition, particularly in special areas such as Can Gio District and Con Dao. UEH will also propose research on growth drivers and development directions for key and priority sectors of the city.

+ Jointly researching models and proposing operational mechanisms for the Ho Chi Minh City Startup and Innovation Investment Fund: Leveraging its strength in training, entrepreneurship support, and innovation, UEH will collaborate with HIDS to design and implement a research project proposing models and operational mechanisms for the city-level Startup and Innovation Investment Fund, as well as co-organizing related academic workshops. This is one of Ho Chi Minh City’s strategic priorities to boost the region’s startup and innovation ecosystem.

Delegates in discussion

Through this cooperation program, UEH once again reaffirms its role as a pioneering institution in connecting universities with government agencies, promoting knowledge transfer, advancing interdisciplinary research, and serving the sustainable development of the community. In the coming period, UEH’s expert teams will work closely alongside HIDS to gradually realize the cooperation objectives, contributing to policy formulation, socio-economic development, and the enhancement of quality of life for residents in the newly expanded city. This initiative also lays the groundwork for both UEH and HIDS to broaden their research efforts, contributing to the journey of building a dynamic and pioneering “national leading mega-urban center” aimed toward a modern and sustainable development model in the near future.