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[UEH 50 Global Partners] UEH Promotes Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation with Hasselt University (Belgium)
09 Jul, 2026
On June 25, 2026, the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) held a bilateral working session with Hasselt University (UHasselt, Belgium), opening up numerous prospects for strategic cooperation in training, student exchange, scientific research, and the development of international research groups, particularly in the fields of Smart Mobility, Data Science, Architecture, Applied Mathematics, Smart Cities, and Digital Transformation.
Attending the working session, on the side of UHasselt, were Prof. Dr. Bernard Vanheusden - Rector; Prof. Dr. Elke Hermans - Vice Rector in charge of Education; Prof. Dr. Geert Wets and Prof. Dr. Davy Janssens - representing the leadership of the IMOB Institute; Prof. Dr. Iuliu Sorin Pop - representing the Computational Mathematics (CMat) research group; Prof. Dr. Olivier Thas - representing the Data Science Institute; Prof. Dr. Kris Braekers, Prof. Dr. An Caris, and Prof. Dr. Katrien Ramaekers - representing the Logistics research group under the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration (BEW); Dr. Els Hannes - in charge of international cooperation for the Faculty of Architecture and Arts, along with representatives from the Faculty of Architecture and Arts and the Faculty of Social Sciences.
On the side of UEH, attendees included Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Quang Hung - UEH President; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trinh Tu Anh - Director of the Institute of Smart City and Management (ISCM); M.A. Dang The Hien - Program Director of the Bachelor of Architecture and Smart Urban Design (BAUD); and M.A. Le Phan Truong An - Researcher at ISCM.
From foundational cooperation to comprehensive strategic partnership
Over the years, UEH and UHasselt have progressively built a cooperation foundation in master's and doctoral training, faculty and student exchange, research project implementation, academic exchange, and professional activities in the fields of smart mobility, architecture, and sustainable urban development. This working visit continued to consolidate the achieved results while marking a new stage of development, elevating the relationship between the two universities from cooperation in individual fields to a comprehensive strategic partnership framework.
Prior to this, from April 13 to 17, 2026, a delegation from Hasselt University conducted a working visit to UEH focused on sustainable connectivity and expanding interdisciplinary cooperation between the two institutions. During this visit, the two units organized an international workshop on the theme "Non-violent Communication for Architecture Students - From Dialogue to Human-Centered Design" and conducted a field survey in Ho Chi Minh City.
During the working day at UHasselt, the UEH delegation conducted four in-depth working sessions with the university's leadership and academic units. The first two sessions with the Board of Rectors and the International Cooperation Office focused on aligning the orientation for developing a strategic partnership between the two sides, establishing coordination mechanisms to expand cooperation in training, research, academic exchange, and the development of international programs.
Subsequently, the UEH delegation worked with the Transport and Mobility Research Institute (IMOB) to expand research cooperation, aiming to develop an International Research Group on smart mobility, sustainable mobility, logistics, and urban governance, building on the foundation of existing collaborative projects. The working session with the Faculty of Architecture and Arts focused on cooperation orientations in architecture, design, and interdisciplinary innovation models, towards highly applicable research and training programs. The day concluded with an interdisciplinary networking session with UHasselt's faculties, institutes, and research groups to expand the academic cooperation network, connect research groups, and seek new collaborative initiatives between the two universities.
Expanding international learning and research opportunities for learners
One of the priorities agreed upon by both sides is to enhance international learning, research, and experiential opportunities for undergraduate students, graduate students, and doctoral candidates. For postgraduate training, UEH and UHasselt will promote the utilization of Flemish BOF-BILA scholarships and UEH scholarships to support doctoral candidates participating in Joint PhD programs, expanding international research opportunities and strengthening joint scientific publications.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Quang Hung noted that UEH has scholarship mechanisms to support inbound and outbound students participating in short-term exchange programs, dual degree programs, and the Internship Exchange model between Vietnam and Belgium. This is seen as a practical cooperation direction, helping learners develop global competencies through learning, research, and working experiences within the innovation ecosystems of both countries.
Promoting international research groups in smart and sustainable mobility
The working session with IMOB reaffirmed smart mobility, traffic safety, and sustainable urban development as one of the strategic cooperation areas between UEH and UHasselt. On the basis of agreeing on the orientation to develop an International Research Lab between IMOB and the Institute of Smart City and Management (ISCM), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trinh Tu Anh proposed a roadmap for implementing joint research activities, postdoctoral programs, and doctoral training, focusing on topics such as smart mobility, traffic safety, sustainable mobility, and smart urban governance. This proposal received high consensus from Prof. Dr. Geert Wets and IMOB leadership, opening up opportunities for developing international research projects, annual scientific publications, and initiatives with practical impact on the community.
Establishing five key cooperation areas
In the interdisciplinary working session, UHasselt's faculties, institutes, and research groups introduced their outstanding strengths in training, research, and knowledge transfer. On that basis, UEH shared its orientation for developing a multidisciplinary, innovative, and internationalized university, while together with UHasselt's units identifying areas with significant cooperation potential.
From the discussions throughout the working day, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Quang Hung, together with the UHasselt side, agreed on priority orientations for developing cooperation in five key areas, including: (1) Economics and Business; (2) Logistics and Smart Supply Chains; (3) Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Applied Mathematics; (4) Smart Cities, Digital Transformation, and Innovation; and (5) Interdisciplinary Research, developing international cooperation programs, and academic networking.
These orientations will serve as the basis for the specialized units of both universities to develop specific cooperation programs in the coming period.
Meeting identifying key cooperation areas at the working session
With the results achieved during this working visit, UEH and UHasselt have opened a new phase of more strategic and comprehensive cooperation. From the cooperation foundation built over many years in transportation, architecture, and interdisciplinary research, the two sides are gradually expanding their relationship to the university level, with the synchronized participation of the Board of Rectors, faculties, institutes, and research groups.
UEH identifies UHasselt as one of its key strategic partners in Belgium and will continue to prioritize the development of long-term cooperation programs in training, scientific research, innovation, and internationalization. This is also an important step in UEH's strategy to expand its global academic partner network, contributing to enhancing training quality, research capacity, and the university's international standing in its new development phase.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Quang Hung exchanging with Prof. Dr. Bernard Vanheusden at the working session with the Hasselt University Board of Rectors
Tour of the Faculty of Architecture and Arts
UEH delegation taking a commemorative photo with representatives of Hasselt University's faculties/institutes at the end of the working day in Belgium
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News, Photos: Institute of Smart City and Management (ISCM), Department of Communications and Partnerships
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