LHU Representative Shares at Startup – Innovation Ecosystem Talkshow.

On 12 May 2023, the Design Thinking Innovation Village – Techfest Vietnam, in collaboration with partner units, organized the Kick-off Design Thinking – Open Innovation 2023 Competition and a panel discussion titled: Experience in Building and Implementing the Startup – Innovation Ecosystem in the College/University Environment, with the participation of distinguished speakers.

The sharing session featured the following guests:

Ms. Duong Tuong Nhi – Head of the Design Thinking Innovation Village – Techfest Vietnam.
In particular, Lac Hong University was honored to have PhD Nguyen Van Tan – Co-Head of the Design Thinking Innovation Village – Techfest Vietnam.
In addition, the programme also welcomed representatives from HOTEC, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, and Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry.

Ms. Duong Tuong Nhi – Head of the Design Thinking Innovation Village – stated: “The skill that generates creative energy is Listening. Listening to those around us to learn, to understand, and to build ourselves.” She also proposed three actions to widely disseminate and effectively apply Design Thinking:

First, to implement effectively, it is necessary to have the right mindset; therefore, Design Thinking is essential. Accordingly, every institution should integrate Design Thinking into its training so that students understand where creativity originates and how to apply creativity in development and construction.

Second, establish a Design Thinking center, build connections with enterprises, and create a comprehensive system grounded in the application of Design Thinking, operated by individuals with outstanding thinking capabilities.

Third, once training has been provided and a center established, the next step is to continue Listening. We must listen to what others are doing, listen to experts, and listen to localities. By listening to dozens and hundreds of sources, institutions can build their centers to be the best possible, avoiding the repetition of mistakes encountered by predecessors.

PhD Nguyen Van Tan shared that building and implementing the Startup Ecosystem is a continuous trajectory connecting lecturers and students across colleges and universities. Lecturers and faculty members are responsible for supporting and guiding students in realizing their ideas and turning their entrepreneurial dreams into reality.

Lac Hong University has achieved numerous accomplishments in entrepreneurship in recent years, most recently winning 01 Third Prize and 01 Consolation Prize at SV.Startup 2023. To achieve this, the University established early strategic orientations; specifically, LHU was the earliest institution to establish an Entrepreneurship Club in Dong Nai Province. In addition, the entrepreneurship ecosystem of Lac Hong University has been fully established (including the Entrepreneurship Club, Co-working Space, mentor system, and modern laboratories), with members actively participating in provincial, regional, and national entrepreneurship communities (Vietnam Startup Mentors Alliance – VSMA; Southern Region Startup Advisory and Support Council; Dong Nai Province Startup Ecosystem Coordination Council; Design Thinking Innovation Village of Techfest Vietnam, etc.). This has effectively supported consultation, training, and resource connection for students with startup ideas. Moreover, the University and lecturers consistently support and accompany students from the ideation stage to product commercialization, fundraising, course exemptions, graduation priority consideration, and more. These are appropriate directions, concretized through practical actions and policies to equip students with entrepreneurial knowledge, enable real business practice, and serve as preparation for students to establish their careers and become self-reliant while still at university or after graduation.