On the morning of August 8th, 2025, at Hall 602, Vo Van Tan Campus, Ho Chi Minh City Open University co-organised the Conference on the Announcement on Networks of Centres of Excellence and Talent Development in 4.0 Technology for the Central and Southern regions. The event was attended and chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Phuc – Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Deputy Minister of Education and Training.
The conference was held in accordance with Decision No. 374/QĐ-TTg dated February 19th, 2025, by the Prime Minister, approving the Project on developing a system of Centres of Excellence and Talent Development in 4.0 Technology by 2030.
The conference welcomed Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Phuc – Deputy Minister of Education and Training, representatives from the Ministry of Science and Technology, units under the Ministry of Education and Training, six universities leading the six networks, as well as representatives from member universities and enterprises.
At the conference, six networks of Centres of Excellence and Talent Development in technology 4.0 were announced, in which Ho Chi Minh City Open University was honoured to serve as coordinator of the Educational Technology Network, affirming its position and capabilities in this field.
Other Networks Included:
- Artificial Intelligence and Semiconductor Technology Network led by the University of Technology, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City.
- Artificial Intelligence and Semiconductor Technology Network (central region) led by the University of Technology, University of Danang.
- Biotechnology in Agriculture Network led by Can Tho University.
- Biotechnology in Agriculture Network (central region) is led by Hue University.
- Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Energy Network led by Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education.
At the conference, Deputy Minister of Education and Training – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Phuc emphasised the role of universities in realising the goals of science, technology, and innovation, thereby contributing significantly to the effective implementation of the Political Bureau’s Resolution 57.
Accordingly, universities are assigned two strategic missions: training high-quality human resources at an international level, while simultaneously conducting scientific research, developing technology, and fostering innovation to stay ahead and master advanced technologies. He addressed that training and research activities must be closely aligned with the needs of enterprises and the economy, ensuring that research outcomes go beyond theory and can be applied to real-world production and business.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Phuc noted that international experience shows that only through close cooperation between universities, enterprises, and the State can an open innovation ecosystem be established in which every idea and initiative has the opportunity to be nurtured and applied. The 4.0 Centres of Excellence will serve as the nucleus of this ecosystem, bringing together the “three stakeholders” with a shared goal of creating breakthroughs in science and technology for national development.
Within the program, the networks presented detailed orientations and development plans for the coming period, emphasising the significance of the network model in fostering sustainable collaboration among universities, enterprises, and scientists.
The networks are regarded as a strategic model for innovating higher education in the current period. Instead of each university developing independently, the approach shifts to collaborative and sharing networks. This creates strategic “alliances” between universities and enterprises in each specific field of 4.0 technology, generating synergistic strength for excellence in training and research.
Accordingly, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Minh Ha, President of Ho Chi Minh City Open University, presented the development plan for the Educational Technology Network. The plan’s objective is to promote training, research, and technology transfer in educational technology, thereby contributing to human resource development and supporting digital transformation.
To implement this plan, Ho Chi Minh City Open University has initially established a network of nearly 20 members, including universities, research institutes, and enterprises. In the coming time, the University will continue to expand the network, engage leading experts, and establish a Centre for Educational Technology to effectively implement its objectives.
Article: Thao Anh
Photos: Khoa La, Minh Khanh
Translate: May Sabai Hmu