On the morning of August 15, 2024, at Lotte Hotel Hanoi, National Economics University (NEU) and the University of Adelaide (Australia) successfully co-hosted a scientific conference on “Developing a Sustainable Future” and signed a cooperation agreement.

An overview of the conference

Representing the Australian Embassy in Vietnam at the conference was Renee Deschamps, Charge d’Affaires of the Australian Embassy. Representing the University of Adelaide were Dr. Jessica Gallagher, Vice President, along with economics experts from the University of Adelaide and representatives of AUSAID and international corporations. Representing National Economics University (NEU) were Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong, President; leadership representatives of its member schools, departments, faculties, institutes and centers; and members of the Science and Academic Council. Also attending were administrators representing the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, professors, experts and scientists from within and outside the University…

Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong, President of NEU, delivers remarks.

According to Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong, President of NEU, sustainable development is an essential goal that all countries aspire to achieve. It balances economic, social and environmental considerations, benefiting present and future generations. Therefore, whether for a developed country such as Australia or developing countries such as Vietnam, sustainable development is critically important. It provides a foundation for promoting approaches, solutions and policies that deliver equality, social justice and environmental protection, as well as institutional effectiveness.

“Vietnam and Australia are working toward sustainable development. Although the two countries are at different levels of development, they can share lessons from various perspectives, including policy and institutions, to identify tools for implementing sustainable development,” said Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong.

Dr. Jessica Gallagher, Vice President of the University of Adelaide, speaks at the conference

Renee Deschamps, Charge d’Affaires of the Australian Embassy, delivers remarks

Prof. Kannan Govindan, Director of the Center for Sustainability and Supply Chain Operations at the Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Resources, University of Adelaide, speaks at the conference

Also at the conference, Prof. Kannan Govindan, Director of the Center for Sustainability and Supply Chain Operations at the Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Resources, University of Adelaide, noted that climate change and environmental risks pose numerous challenges to supply chain management. Addressing these challenges therefore requires the involvement of three parties: Government, businesses and society.

Specifically, businesses need to strengthen their capacity to fulfill their social responsibilities and develop public-private partnerships to secure additional resources for development. Regulatory authorities need to establish mechanisms that help businesses develop sustainably through policies that deliver “win – win” benefits for all parties. The community also needs to act responsibly by monitoring the activities undertaken by businesses and regulatory authorities.

Prof. Kannan Govindan also recommended that sustainable supply chain development focus on four pillars—sourcing, production, logistics and circularity—to minimize environmental impacts. He further emphasized that strengthening these four pillars would reduce environmental impacts by more than 95%.

In addition, international experts noted that Vietnam has considerable potential for sustainable development thanks to its abundant human resources, growing business awareness and capacity to absorb emerging technologies… alongside its efforts to achieve Net Zero and establish a carbon credit market…

However, to truly meet the requirements of the green transition, the economy must transform its growth model, improve labor productivity, promote new growth drivers from emerging industries and develop infrastructure in a coordinated manner…

Prof. Dr. Dinh Duc Truong, Dean of the Faculty of Environment, Climate Change and Urban Studies at NEU, speaks at the conference

Speaking at the conference, Prof. Dr. Dinh Duc Truong, Dean of the Faculty of Environment, Climate Change and Urban Studies at NEU, noted that Vietnam has made numerous socioeconomic achievements in recent years and is the fastest-developing country in Southeast Asia. However, Vietnam also faces considerable pressure from this growth. For example, Vietnam ranks among countries with very low environmental quality in terms of both environmental conditions and environmental indicators. “On certain criteria, Vietnam ranks among the lowest in Southeast Asia, including air quality, water pollution, energy efficiency and deforestation… These are major issues affecting Vietnam’s economic development.”

Prof. Dr. Dinh Duc Truong also said that Vietnam is approaching a “turning point” in sustainable development and still has a “long way to go” to achieve better environmental quality. For example, approximately 70,000 people in Vietnam died from air pollution in 2022. Notably, air pollution levels in Vietnam are assessed as the highest in the region. By comparison, approximately 10,000 people die in traffic accidents in Vietnam each year, while air pollution causes 70,000 deaths. This means that Vietnam loses approximately 5%-6% of its GDP annually due to damage caused by air pollution. Vietnam also faces major challenges related to climate change. According to the World Bank (WB), Vietnam is one of the five countries most affected by climate change. Vietnam faces severe exposure to extreme weather, including an increasing number of storms, rising sea levels and more widespread flooding… “This has a major impact on Vietnam’s economy, particularly in the Mekong Delta. If this trend continues, Vietnam will lose 10% of its GDP annually in the coming years,” Prof. Dr. Dinh Duc Truong emphasized.

In his closing remarks, Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong expressed confidence that the conference would lay the foundation for many future academic activities between the two universities. He also expressed his hope for further close cooperation with the University of Adelaide across teaching, research and consulting on sustainable development, thereby contributing to development and cooperation in sustainable development between the two countries.

Earlier, as part of the program, NEU and the University of Adelaide (Australia) signed a memorandum of agreement on cooperation in teaching, research and academic programs.

Delegates attending the signing ceremony

Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong of NEU speaks at the signing ceremony

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong said: “NEU is a leading university designated as a key institution in Vietnam and is gradually establishing its reputation in global higher education. Over the years, NEU and the University of Adelaide have maintained a close relationship and undertaken numerous collaborative activities, including lecturer and student exchanges, joint research and education… This is also an opportunity for the two universities to expand exchanges and learn from each other, with the hope that their relationship will grow stronger and their cooperation more effective.”

Dr. Jessica Gallagher, Vice President of the University of Adelaide, speaks at the event

Under the agreement, the two institutions will connect education with practice and support the development of applied research capabilities among NEU students. The leaders of the two institutions agreed on the recognition of academic programs, educational content and credit values, as well as the organization of lecturer and student exchanges between the two universities. The student exchange program aims to provide students with opportunities to learn and gain experience in a diverse, multicultural environment, while strengthening exchanges in teaching and scientific research between the two institutions.

Representatives of the leadership of both institutions also expressed their pleasure at this new step forward in their partnership and their hope that today’s signing ceremony would help open up further opportunities for cooperation in improving the quality of education and scientific research at NEU and the University of Adelaide.

Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong, President of NEU, and Dr. Jessica Gallagher, Vice President of the University of Adelaide, sign the cooperation agreement

Leadership representatives of the two institutions exchange gifts and pose for a commemorative photo

Additional images from the program:

Article and photos: Department of Communications

Media coverage of the event:

Education and Times: NEU and the University of Adelaide cooperate on ‘Developing a sustainable future’

Business Forum: Sustainable development to balance growth

Customs Online: Three parties join forces for sustainable development

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