ISCM Participated in the Vietnam - EU Forum “Scaling-up Digital Investments: Connecting the European Tech Business Offer with Vietnam’s Digital Future”
The international forum “Scaling-up Digital Investments” took place on October 21, 2025, in Ho Chi Minh City, marking a significant milestone in technology and digital investment cooperation between the European Union (EU) and Vietnam. The event was jointly organized by D4D Hub, the Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam, AVSE Global, and EuroCham Vietnam, in collaboration with the National Data Association (NDA) and VINASA.
This forum was a highlight in the celebration of 30 years of diplomatic relations between the EU and Vietnam, underscoring a shared commitment to building a green, sustainable, and human-centered digital economy where technology serves as a bridge between the two regions in their global digital transformation journey.
Within the framework of the forum, Assoc.Prof. Trinh Tu Anh, Director of the Institute of Smart City and Management (ISCM), University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), served as the moderator of the session “Space technologies and Artificial Intelligence: How to use them as strategic tools for sustainable development in Vietnam?”
The panel brought together leading experts and technology leaders from Vietnam and Europe, including Eva Dousset, Deputy Head of the Economic Department, Embassy of France in Hanoi (opening remarks); Nicolas Bernardin, Country Director for Vietnam, Thailand & Myanmar, Thales; Sébastien Laurent, ASEAN Representative, Kineis; Nguyen Ngoc Quang, Deputy Director, Vegastar; and Assoc.Prof. Pham Minh Hai, Deputy Director General, National Remote Sensing Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.
Panelists shared insights into the potential of space technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) as strategic infrastructures for sustainable development. The representative from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment emphasized that Vietnam has built a national remote sensing database containing nearly 100,000 satellite images from 16 sensors (such as VNREDSat-1, SPOT, and Landsat), which are used for natural resource monitoring, disaster forecasting, drought assessment, and land-use planning. Integrating AI into data processing has enabled the transformation of “big data” into actionable intelligence, directly supporting evidence-based policymaking and management.
From the private sector of Vietnam, Vegastar introduced GEOHUB.AI, an AI-powered geospatial analytics platform applied in precision agriculture, forest monitoring, urban planning, and climate change adaptation. The company’s collaboration with the Japanese partner SpaceShift has strengthened the integration of AI in satellite data analysis, advancing the vision of “GeoSpatial AI for All” — democratizing spatial intelligence for Vietnam’s sustainable development.
European representatives shared extensive experience from their space technology initiatives. Thales highlighted the role of AI in image anomaly detection, orbital trajectory prediction, early disaster alerts, and satellite cybersecurity, as well as the application of space-edge computing to enhance data accuracy and processing speed. Meanwhile, Kineis presented its global IoT connectivity network through low-Earth orbit satellites, which expands data collection and transmission capabilities across remote, coastal, and island areas where terrestrial communications are limited.
Assoc.Prof. Trinh Tu Anh emphasized that space technologies and AI are not merely technical tools but strategic foundations that can help Vietnam advance toward a smart, adaptive, and sustainable development model. She remarked: “When data becomes the foundation of development, the co-creation and participation of all stakeholders — from researchers and businesses to policymakers — will be the key to transforming technology into real societal value.”
The discussion concluded with a shared consensus on the need to build an open spatial data ecosystem, invest in human capacity, and enhance international cooperation to maximize the potential of AI and satellite data for sustainable growth.
The participation of the Institute of Smart City and Management (ISCM) at this forum reaffirmed UEH’s pioneering role in bridging academia, technology, and policy, contributing to Vietnam’s pursuit of green digital transformation and sustainable urban development.