The 2025 International Conference on Smart Operations Management took place on December 20 and 21, 2025, at National Economics University (NEU).

An overview of the conference

Attending the conference from outside the University were Prof. Dr. Suresh Sethi, Eugene McDermott Chair and Director of the Center for Intelligent Supply Networks; Mr. Sandun Perera, University of Nevada, Reno, USA; Prof. Suresh Sethi, Naveen Jindal School of Management; Prof. Dr. Chung Piaw Teo, National University of Singapore; Prof. Dr. Anant Mishra, VinUniversity; Prof. Dr. Xianghua Gan, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, China; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zhu Wang, Shanghai Maritime University, China; Dr. Jinhui Han, Peking University, China; Prof. Jiang (Tony) Duan, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, China; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chi Chung Siu, Hang Seng University of Hong Kong; Dr. Ting Hou, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, China; Dr. Jia Yu, Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Dr. Zehao Li, Peking University, China; Prof. Dr. Houmin Yan, City University of Hong Kong; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chao Liang, China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), China; Dr. Tian Bai, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China; and Prof. Dr. Subodha Kumar, Temple University, USA.

Representing NEU were Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu, Vice President of NEU; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ha Minh Hoang, Dean of the Faculty of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence; representatives of the leadership of colleges, departments, faculties, institutes, and centers; faculty and staff; and researchers from within and outside the University.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu, Vice President of NEU, delivers remarks

In his opening remarks, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu, Vice President of NEU, emphasized the importance of academic conferences in presenting new research findings, sharing approaches, and fostering scholarly dialogue. He noted that conferences not only provide opportunities for scholars to exchange ideas but also help translate research into practice, contributing to economic and social development.

“We believe that conferences provide a foundation for promoting intellectual exchange, developing new ideas, and contributing to the country’s sustainable development,” said Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu.

According to Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu, NEU is one of Vietnam’s leading higher education institutions in economics, management, and business administration, with a strong focus on developing academic research and international cooperation. The University also serves as a meeting point for domestic and international scholars from various fields to exchange ideas, engage in discussions, and develop new research directions.

In this context, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu affirmed that scientific conferences not only promote interdisciplinary knowledge exchange but also help connect scholars from different countries, expand opportunities for international cooperation, establish joint research projects, and enhance the practical impact of academic activities on economic and social development.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu presents gifts and poses for a commemorative photo with the speakers

Operations Management (OM) is an interdisciplinary field at the intersection of technology, data, and management science. At NEU, the development of OM is closely aligned with academic programs and research on supply chain management and logistics, smart operations management, and decision-making models based on data and artificial intelligence. Strengthening research and education in this field aligns with the University’s strategy for developing interdisciplinary fields, with technology and core strengths as its pillars. It also helps put into practice the spirit of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW dated December 22, 2024, on breakthroughs in the development of science and technology, innovation, and national digital transformation. The Resolution emphasizes the need to improve institutional frameworks, develop digital infrastructure, enhance the quality of human resources, and promote the application of science and technology across all sectors, toward the country’s development vision for 2045.

In this context, this conference plays an important role in establishing an international academic forum that brings together scholars, collaborators, and colleagues from many of the world’s leading universities and research institutes. Through research presentations and in-depth discussion sessions, the conference focuses on clarifying emerging trends in Smart Operations Management, thereby helping promote NEU’s academic reputation, raise its international standing, and open up numerous opportunities for future research and educational cooperation.

Sharing his experience in applying supply chain research and AI-based optimization, Prof. Chung Piaw Teo of the National University of Singapore noted that operations and supply chain management have undergone major changes in recent years under the influence of digital data, digital technology, and AI.

According to Prof. Chung Piaw Teo, advances in data and artificial intelligence over the past several decades have fundamentally changed approaches to operations management research and practice. In this context, cooperation between researchers and businesses plays an increasingly pivotal role, as businesses not only provide data but also identify practical problems and create opportunities to test and refine research models.

Emphasizing the role of research personnel, Prof. Chung Piaw Teo stated that PhD candidates are the core force connecting academic research with business practice in the AI era. He cited the example of the Institute of Operations Research and Analytics in Singapore, where PhD candidates are encouraged to participate directly in real-world projects across fields such as aviation, logistics, healthcare, and finance, thereby both enhancing their research capabilities and helping solve practical problems.

Prof. Chung Piaw Teo also highlighted the increasingly common trend of combining optimization, modeling, and empirical data analysis, particularly amid the rapid development of artificial intelligence. He noted that businesses today need not only accurate forecasts but also high-quality decisions, ranging from multisource inventory management to pricing ancillary airline services.

By participating in applied research projects, PhD candidates have opportunities to learn how to develop sustainable decision-making models based on real-world data and address problems under conditions of incomplete information, with direct applications to business operations. For this reason, according to Prof. Chung Piaw Teo, PhD candidates are strategic contributors to promoting innovation, strengthening connections between research and business, and developing effective operational solutions in the era of big data and artificial intelligence.

Conference delegates pose for a commemorative group photo

Notably, the conference featured Prof. Suresh Sethi, one of the world’s leading scholars in operations management and optimization. During his academic career, he has published 11 books and more than 400 scientific research papers and has been honored by numerous prestigious professional associations, including IEEE, INFORMS, SIAM, POMS, and AAAS. Prof. Sethi served as President of the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) in 2012 and has received numerous prestigious awards, notably the IITB Distinguished Alumni Award and Carnegie Mellon University’s Alumni Achievement Award.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu, Vice President of NEU, presents flowers to Prof. Dr. Suresh Sethi

Prof. Dr. Suresh Sethi speaks at the conference

Prof. Suresh Sethi’s far-reaching academic influence has been recognized by the international scientific community through conferences held in his honor in Aix-en-Provence (2005) and at the University of Texas at Dallas (2006). These events were attended by many distinguished scholars, including Prof. Harry M. Markowitz, the 1990 Nobel laureate in Economics. Notably, in 2025, POMS officially established the Suresh Sethi “Best Interdisciplinary Paper Award” to honor outstanding interdisciplinary research, further affirming his lasting influence on the development of operations management worldwide.

Selected photos from the conference sessions:

Article and photos: Department of Communications

This is an automated translation. If you notice any errors, please contact the Department of Communications, National Economics University at phongtruyenthong@neu.edu.vn.