Surpassing over 330 applicants worldwide, the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) has been selected as one of four global universities to lead the SDG 11 Hub, serving as Vice Chair for Connectivity and Partnership.
University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: UEH)

On May 1st, UEH announced that it has been officially appointed by the United Nations (UN) to the role of Vice Chair for Connectivity and Partnership of the SDG 11 Hub (Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities).

Beating out over 330 prestigious university applicants from around the globe, UEH (ranked in the 501+ group in THE 2025 Rankings) has proudly become one of the four core universities responsible for operating the SDG 11 Hub under the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) network. This marks a significant milestone, reflecting the UN’s recognition of UEH’s ongoing efforts and contributions to sustainable development.

With this distinguished selection by UNAI, UEH aims to lead global efforts in connectivity and collaboration, focusing on promoting sustainable cities and communities. This marks a strategic turning point in UEH’s journey toward internationalization and its steadfast commitment to sustainability.

In addition to UEH’s appointment, UNAI has officially announced the SDG Hub leadership for the next three years. The Chair position is held by De Montfort University, United Kingdom (ranked in the 601+ group in THE 2025 Rankings).
The Vice Chair for Education and Teaching is the University of Cologne, Germany (ranked 157 in THE 2025 Rankings).
The Vice Chair for Research is the University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos – Unisinos, Brazil (ranked 1,201 in THE 2025 Rankings).

UEH’s comparison with these world-leading universities not only affirms the quality of the school’s training and research but also opens up opportunities for extensive international cooperation, contributing to improving the position of Vietnamese education on the world map.

With its 2021 restructuring milestone, UEH has set a vision to become a multidisciplinary and sustainable university by 2030. The university is advancing five key pillars—education, research, operations, governance, and community engagement—aligned with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (17 SDGs).

Through this strategy, UEH aspires to nurture a future generation of Glo-cal citizens who possess global thinking and act on local issues.

Sharing his thoughts on this new and significant role, Associate Professor Dr. Bui Quang Hung, Vice President of UEH, emphasized:
“With our principle of ‘doing real and achieving real results,’ now, as Vice Chair for Connectivity and Partnership of the SDG 11 Hub, UEH reaffirms its core role in leading global efforts within the higher education sector and pioneering sustainable action in Vietnam.”

The university leadership further noted that, with a network of over 500 leading enterprises, more than 240,000 alumni, and over 200 international partner organizations, UEH is well-positioned to serve as a central hub connecting stakeholders in co-creating a sustainable future.

Sustainable Strategic Model of UEH (Source: UEH)

The SDG Hub program, within the framework of the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI), is a global initiative launched by the UN to connect higher education institutions in support of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through three main areas: education, research, and outreach/partnership.

Each SDG Hub focuses on one of the 17 goals, with roles including Chair or Co-Chair representatives, and three Vice Chairs for the three key areas.

Institutions selected as SDG Hubs are global higher education organizations that demonstrate outstanding activities in promoting the SDGs through an academic approach that creates a positive impact in social, economic, and environmental domains. The UN also emphasizes the interconnectedness among the universities responsible for the 17 SDGs, thus forming a global academic network committed to sustainable development.

Source:https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/duoc-lien-hop-quoc-chon-dh-kinh-te-tphcm-dung-cung-truong-lon-the-gioi-20250501084746678.htm