Workshop "Smart Cities: Where Data and Governance Intersect" - Enhancing International Cooperation in Data Governance and Urban Innovation

On May 26, 2026, the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), represented by the Institute of Smart City and Management (ISCM), in collaboration with partners, organized the international workshop "Smart Cities: Where Data and Governance Intersect" at Campus B, UEH. The event brought together nearly 50 delegates from state management agencies, universities, international organizations, and enterprises for an interdisciplinary dialogue on data governance, the role of institutions, and practical approaches in domestic and international smart city development.

In the context where cities are increasingly relying on data to support planning, deliver public services, manage infrastructure, and make decisions, how data is collected, governed, shared, and used has become a central issue in smart city development. The workshop was organized to create a networking space and promote interdisciplinary dialogue among stakeholders on effective, inclusive, and responsible data governance models.

The program was co-organized with the Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP) at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, with the participation of UNESCO and sponsorship from VGSI and GAYA (Korea).

Attending the program, from the side of invited delegates, were: Mr. Nguyen Ky - Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology; Mr. Johnathan Wallace Baker - Representative of UNESCO; Mr. Lam Nguyen Hai Long - Director of the Innovation Services Center (ISC) in Ho Chi Minh City; Mr. Nicholas Roberts-Huntley - Chief Executive Officer of Interval Networks; Mr. Tran Hong Vinh - Chief Enterprise Architect, FPT Software Hanoi.

From UEH, attending were: Dr. Dinh Cong Khai - Vice President of UEH; Assoc. Prof. Trinh Tu Anh - Director of the Institute of Smart City and Management (ISCM), along with lecturers and researchers from the Institute.

From New York University, attending were: Mr. Jonathan Kim - Founder & Partner at RBP, Member of the NYU President's Global Council; Dr. Stefaan Verhulst - Co-Founder & Research Professor at The GovLab; Prof. Maurizio Porfiri - Director & Institute Professor at the Center for Urban Science and Progress; Dr. Karin Ezbiansky Pavese - Executive Director & Senior Research Scholar, Global Strategic Partnerships; Ms. Shannon Werle - Assistant Director of the Center for Urban Science and Progress.

From VGSI, attending were: Mr. Jin Hong Huh - Chairman; Mr. Hang Jun Lee - General Director.

Overview of the event held at Campus B, UEH

Delivering the opening speech, Dr. Dinh Cong Khai - Vice President of UEH affirmed: "UEH is committed to contributing knowledge, innovation, and practical solutions to the process of urban transformation towards sustainability. The University believes that universities can play a role as a connecting hub to co-create ideas, test solutions, and promote innovation for the future of cities." He expressed his hope that the workshop would open up meaningful dialogues and inspire deeper cooperation activities in the field of data governance and smart city development in Ho Chi Minh City as well as other localities in the future.

Dr. Dinh Cong Khai speaking at the event

Dr. Karin Ezbiansky Pavese - Executive Director of Global Strategic Partnerships & Senior Research Scholar at New York University, delivering the opening remarks of the workshop

In his keynote speech, Mr. Nguyen Ky - Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology emphasized: "The model of urban management and operation in the future must be based on data and digital technology to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of state management, improve the quality of public services, and aim towards the goal of making Ho Chi Minh City one of the top 50 smart cities in the world by 2030." He also expressed his expectation that the solutions and exchanges at the workshop would serve as important scientific and practical arguments, contributing to supporting the City in its implementation of the project to build Ho Chi Minh City into a smart city in the coming time.

Mr. Nguyen Ky - Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, delivering the keynote speech at the program

At the workshop, speakers discussed the core elements of smart city development, from Ho Chi Minh City's orientations and priorities in its digital transformation process and UEH's Living Lab model to promote urban innovation, to current data governance practices and frameworks being applied in many cities around the world.

The presentations clarified the roles of data, technology, and governance mechanisms in improving the efficiency of urban management, while emphasizing the importance of collaboration among government, universities, enterprises, and international organizations to co-create sustainable urban development solutions.

 Assoc. Prof. Trinh Tu Anh - Director of the Institute of Smart City and Management (ISCM), presenting "Governing Smart City Innovation: Insights from UEH's Living Lab Model"

Dr. Stefaan Verhulst - New York University, Co-Founder of The Governance Laboratory (The GovLab), presenting "Why Data Governance within Smart City Applications Matters: Global Smart City Data Governance Practices and Models"

Mr. Tran Hong Vinh - Chief Enterprise Architect, FPT Software Hanoi, presenting

During the panel discussion co-moderated by Dr. Stefaan Verhulst and Assoc. Prof. Trinh Tu Anh, experts exchanged lessons learned from smart city models around the world, their applicability to the context of Ho Chi Minh City, as well as principles of data governance and multi-stakeholder collaboration in the smart city development process.

Panel discussion among experts: Prof. Maurizio Porfiri - New York University (NYU); Mr. Lam Nguyen Hai Long - Executive Chairman of the Innovation Services Center (ISC); Mr. Nicholas Roberts-Huntley - Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Interval Networks; Mr. Johnathan Wallace Baker - UNESCO; Dr. Trung Nguyen - RMIT University Vietnam; Mr. Do Duc Trung - Deputy Director of VNPT Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT)

A highlight of the program was the Master Class on Data Governance led by Dr. Stefaan Verhulst (NYU) and a representative from UNESCO, which expanded discussions on responsible, inclusive, and effective data governance in smart city development.

Master Class session led by Dr. Stefaan Verhulst (NYU) and a UNESCO representative at the Workshop

The workshop demonstrated the shared commitment between UEH and international partners to co-create knowledge and promote interdisciplinary dialogue on smart city development. By integrating academic expertise, policy perspectives, business experience, and international practices, the program aims to contribute to sustainable urban development that is data-driven and people-centered in Ho Chi Minh City, in particular, and in Vietnam more broadly.

News, Photos: Department of Communications and Partnerships, Institute of Smart City and Management