On the morning of May 25, 2025, at Hall 602, Vo Van Tan Campus, Ho Chi Minh City Open University, solemnly held the “Business Connection – Open Business Matching 2025” event. The event was honored to welcome over 50 representatives from leading businesses across diverse fields such as Finance-Banking, Information Technology, Civil Engineering, Biotechnology, Linguistics, Economics, Business Administration, etc.
This is an annual event organized by the university to express deep gratitude to organizations and businesses that have always accompanied and actively contributed to supplying society with tens of thousands of bachelors, engineers, masters, and doctors – a high-quality workforce ready to meet the demands of international integration and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. At the same time, the event serves as a solid bridge for the community of organizations and businesses to fulfill their social responsibility, share knowledge, and bring practical and lasting value to generations of students.
Attending the event were: Dr. Le Nguyen Quoc Khang – Vice President of Ho Chi Minh City Open University, faculty representatives from university departments, and over 50 representatives of reputable businesses and educational institutions cooperating with the university.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Le Nguyen Quoc Khang – Vice President of the University, shared that over 35 years of establishment and development, Ho Chi Minh City Open University is proud to be an educational institution that has provided tens of thousands of engineers and bachelors for the country’s workforce. Throughout that journey, the university has always received invaluable contributions from businesses through many specific cooperation activities such as participating in job fairs, career orientation seminars, specialized lectures, curriculum feedback, student recruitment, and applied research collaboration.
Dr. Le Nguyen Quoc Khang also added that with nearly 700 businesses having signed cooperation agreements, the university considers this an invaluable social capital. Therefore, this third “Business Connection – Open Business Matching” event was organized to create a bridge for businesses within the network to connect, jointly explore and maximize the value of this cooperative relationship.
In addition, in its sustainable education development strategy, the role of the connection between the university and organizations, businesses has always been a top priority for Ho Chi Minh City Open University to serve its application-oriented training goals, helping students gain real-world experience.
Panel Discussion: “The Role of Enterprises in Training, Career Orientation and Employment for Students in the Digital Era”
As part of the event, the panel discussion received many valuable contributions from businesses and training units. Faculty representatives also shared challenges in training a workforce that meets social demands in the digital age. Opinions emphasized that the role of businesses is not limited to recruitment, but also as strategic partners working with the university to shape, develop competencies, provide career orientation, and create employment opportunities for students in the context of rapidly developing technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, and digital transformation.
At the event, Mr. Pham Van Huong – Deputy Director of Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam- Saigon East Branch, shared: “For the banking sector, we highly welcome cooperation with the university in building financial simulation programs, field trips, and internships to help students be less surprised when entering the real world. In the context of digital transformation, Vietcombank is a strong unit that is always looking for high-quality human resources to keep pace with the times and realities. The workload pressure on human resources is high, and the competition is quite fierce. Vietcombank is always ready to accompany the university in training and developing a workforce that meets these demands.
Sharing experience working with educational organizations, Mr. Luong Duy Anh – Country Director, National Geographic Learning Vietnam Publishing House, also shared his insights:
“Through our internal restructuring process influenced by the digital era, we realized that constant change is a vital factor to keep up with the times. The biggest challenge in transformation remains people – especially for those in education; changing assessment methods and integrating multi-skilled training is extremely necessary. On the business side, today’s students are very different, as they live in a digital era marked by rapid changes. This makes demanding patience difficult. Therefore, businesses also need to consider, accompany, and inspire students. In this digital age, communication skills are often underrated, but they are the most essential skills. We need to refocus on developing communication skills much more.”
Dr. Senior Lecturer Ngo Thanh Trung – Vice Head of the Faculty of Finance – Banking, added: “The university has long recognized the role of businesses and always invites them to provide practical feedback on training programs. We continually review and adjust our offerings to meet the evolving needs of students and the market. Our training programs are improved every year and have been quality-accredited. However, we also face challenges in the digital age, especially in assessing learning outcomes when students use AI. We encourage students to use AI, but always emphasize the importance of human analysis and decision-making. We understand that educators and employers need valuable feedback from one another”.
At the discussion, businesses shared practical experience, provided useful information on effective connection models, how to leverage cooperation opportunities, and how to address difficulties and obstacles in implementing cooperative activities. This includes organizing discussions, specialized lectures, and meaningful scholarship programs for students. Such sharing not only helps the university stay updated with the latest labor market trends but also equips students with the necessary skills to adapt and thrive in a modern working environment.
Ho Chi Minh City Open University: Towards a Sustainable Future. Up to now, Ho Chi Minh City Open University has built and expanded an effective cooperation network, signing close partnerships with over 700 agencies, universities at home and abroad, and reputable organizations and businesses. This cooperation not only improves training quality tied to practical needs but also supports students in career orientation, creating opportunities for internships, field trips, and employment after graduation. This helps students have an environment to train, accumulate professional knowledge, gain experience, and strengthen their competitiveness to adapt to the rapid changes of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and meet development needs in the context of international and regional economic integration.
In the 2024–2025 academic year, more than 35 businesses and individuals actively contributed to the Scholarship Fund supporting outstanding students, with a total value of over 1.6 billion VND. This is a great source of encouragement, providing motivation for students and helping nurture talent.
At the same time, the university and its business partners have achieved many significant outcomes in improving training program quality and expanding employment opportunities, with nearly 200 cooperative activities implemented by various faculties. In particular, there have been diverse full-time and part-time job fairs and other important employment events, with the participation of over 700 domestic and international businesses, bringing thousands of job opportunities to students.
Moreover, the university, together with agencies and businesses, continuously strives to create a learning and research environment that promotes innovation among students through academic competitions, entrepreneurship and innovation forums, scientific research seminars, and technology transfer workshops. These activities not only unleash students’ potential but also equip them with solid preparation to become responsible global citizens capable of contributing to the sustainable development of society.
“Open Business Matching 2025” is an important milestone affirming Ho Chi Minh City Open University’s commitment to building a comprehensive educational ecosystem where students are equipped with knowledge, skills, and the best opportunities to confidently enter the digital era. It is also an ideal occasion for businesses to meet, network, promote cooperation, and strengthen their brand image.
