SMART AXIATA COMPANY FROM CAMBODIA VISITED INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY TO ENGAGE IN EXCHANGING INSIGHTS ABOUT THE STARTUP AND INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

On August 5, 2024, the International University – Vietnam National University HCMC warmly received and collaborated with a delegation of talented students participating in the SMART AXIATA Learning program organized by Smart Axiata Company Limited (Cambodia) and representatives from Schoolab Asia in Vietnam. The delegation visited Ho Chi Minh City to explore the innovation ecosystem within the technology sector in Vietnam. These students represent majors including Information Technology, Electronics, and Business from various universities in Cambodia.

Welcoming the delegation, Dr. Tran Thi Ngoc Diep – Head of the Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer; MSc. Le Huynh Bao Tram, Officer of Office of External and Public Relations, Center for International Mobility introduced and shared about the research orientation of the International University along with the open and dynamic ecosystem of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the school.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Giang, Senior Manager of the APAC Program at Schoolab Asia, conveyed her gratitude to the International University for warmly welcoming the delegation.
Dr. Tran Thi Ngoc Diep, Head of the Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer, cordially welcomed the delegation and introduced the participants from the International University.

The Entrepreneurship and Innovation activities showcased at the International University have provided valuable perspectives to businesses and Cambodian students. The University has actively engaged with numerous questions from students eager to join its Entrepreneurship and Innovation programs. Mr. Sek Chanbora, Senior CSR and Sustainability Specialist at Smart Axiata Company Limited, expressed great enthusiasm about potential collaborations in arranging beneficial exchange activities for students from Vietnam and Cambodia focused on Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the upcoming period.

Dr. Tran Thi Ngoc Diep and officers from the Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer captured a souvenir photo with the visiting delegation.

During the meeting, both parties forged promising agreements to collaborate on Startup and Innovation Programs, as well as Education for Sustainable Development initiatives between students from the two countries. The focus will be on addressing critical regional issues like responding to climate change in the Mekong Delta, tackling plastic waste challenges, and promoting the concept of a circular economy.

The delegation also had the privilege to tour the laboratories at the International University, including the Medical Equipment Laboratory of the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, which is equipped with modern devices like blood pressure measuring tools that utilize smartphone applications for monitoring the health of individuals. This innovative product is one of the startups developed by the faculty’s lecturers and students.Furthermore, the delegation explored the Laboratory of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, where they encountered cutting-edge equipment such as robotic arms and the Antenna Electromagnetic Wave Impact Testing Room, showcasing the university’s commitment to technological advancement and hands-on learning experiences.

Lecturer. Tran Ngoc Viet, Laboratory Specialist at the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering at International University, presented to the delegation information about the Faculty and its innovative startup product—a blood pressure monitor on smartphones developed by the faculty's teachers and students.
MSc. Nguyen Lap Phuong Uyen, Laboratory Specialist at the Faculty of Electricity and Electronics at International University, provided the visiting delegation with an introduction to the control system during their visit.
MSc. Nguyen Minh Thien, from the Telecommunications Department Laboratory at the Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, International University, presented to the visiting delegation information about the antenna equipment during their visit.

Cambodia, as a neighboring country of Vietnam, has seen many students come to live and study in Vietnam, particularly in Ho Chi Minh City. Given this trend, collaborating to arrange student exchange activities and Innovative Startup programs to enhance mutual understanding of the entrepreneurial mindset among students from both nations is a noteworthy initiative that deserves attention.