HCMC’s eastern innovative urban area ready for sustainable development

The eastern highly innovative and interactive urban area of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) was formed in 2018, including the districts of 9, 2, and Thu Duc. It is based on the three main pillars of Saigon Hi-tech Park (SHTP), Vietnam National University – HCMC (VNUHCM) urban area, and Thu Thiem New Urban Area, with the aim to create a strong foundation for a sustainable growth of the city.

HCMC’s eastern innovative urban area ready for sustainable development

SHTP had a 4-year export revenue of US$46.36 billion, with an estimate of $17.24 billion this year. It has become the nucleus of the eastern highly innovative, interactive urban area in Industry 4.0. Its main strengths are novel technological ideas, easy capital attraction, and skillful human resources coming from all over the nation and the world.

In the new development period between 2021-2025, SHTP’s Management Board plans to actively promote supportive industries for hi-tech products, supposedly leading to a more impressive increase of domestic value added.

In addition, SHTP is now applying IT and AI in administrative management; upgrading its Research & Development Center into a formal Research Institute, its Incubation Center into an Innovative Center, and its Training Center into a Hi-quality Human Resources Training Institute; boosting the existing connections between Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) businesses and domestic ones, between VNUHCM and enterprises; and creating more bilateralisms and multi-lateralisms among scientific experts, between scientists and businesses.

To fulfill these missions, SHTP will focus on the three key aspects, the first of which is to adopt Resolution No.50-NQ/TW issued by the Politburo on orientations to perfect mechanisms, policies, raise quality and efficiency of foreign investment by 2030. This means SHTP will actively and selectively attract international investment, with a priority on efficiency, quality, and environment protection.

Secondly, SHTP will boost the implementation of investment projects for the Scientific Space (a surface area of 93ha), while increasing links among inner enterprises, between inner and outer businesses, and between enterprises and universities. This is supposed to unlock the innovative potential and to boost hi-tech goods manufacturing.

Lastly, SHTP will speed up the establishment of its scientific-technological park, which plays the role of both a research center and a hub for technology transfer.

Being one of the three main pillars in the eastern innovative urban area, VNUHCM urban area (a total surface area of 643ha) is considered a training center for hi-quality human resources and a scientific research center for various fields to meet the demands of the society.

VNUHCM now has 27 educational institutes and 8 members, becoming one of the largest educational organizations in Vietnam. There are now more than 69,000 students of all levels learning here and the strong teaching staff of over 400 professors, associate professors, along with more than 1,300 doctorates.

After being aware about the establishment of the eastern innovative urban area, VNUHCM immediately assigned its IT Park (ITP) to form a research team for the field.

At the moment, VNUHCM urban area plays the role of connecting and supporting the other two pillars in order to build a support center for innovative startups. Therefore, its ITP is oriented toward being a startup ecosystem, especially for those in the IT and communications industries.

Thanks to its current advantages, VNUHCM is perfectly suitable to become a hub for technology transfer as well as an effective human resources training center.

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