Award promotes sustainable development of smart cities
The Vietnam Smart City Award 2020 was officially launched online by the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association (VINASA) on September 7, aiming to push for sustainable development of smart cities across the nation.
At the online press conference (Photo: enternews.vn)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Smart City Award 2020 was officiallylaunched online by the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association (VINASA) onSeptember 7, aiming to push for sustainable development of smart cities acrossthe nation.
At the event, VINASA Chairman Truong Gia Binh laid stress on the significanceof smart city development, holding it is billed as one of the best tools toserve both people and businesses.
The award is expected to create motivation for technology andpolicy initiatives, helping cities become valuable urban areas with sharpcompetitive edge, he said, adding smart cities are an important launching padfor the nation’s socio-economic development.
Entries should be sent to the organising board until October 10, competing infour categories of Vietnamese urban areas; smart realty projects and buildings;industrial real estate projects, and technology solutions to smart city,property projects and industrial parks.
The final results will be announced on November 17 when the Vietnam Smart CitySummit 2020 is organised.
The United Nations estimated that today, 54.6 percent of the world’s populationlive in urban areas, and the proportion is expected to increase to over 70percent by 2050. Rapid urbanisation rate has left cities worldwide in criticalsocio-economic and environmental situation. Building smart cities is a perfectsolution to deal with urbanisation problems, and seen as an essential trend ofcountries across the globe.
Currently, Vietnam has 833 urban areas of all kinds. TheGovernment, ministries, sectors and localities are promoting to form nationaldata infrastructure, a fundamental base to build smart cities.
Nearly 40 cities in the countries have plans to develop smart cities under thePrime Minister’s Decision No.950/QD-TTg./.
The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has urged all districts to conduct programmes on smart city development, with specific targets, roadmaps and implementation measures suited to the characteristics of individual locality.
The Central city of Da Nang is poised to complete the building of a smart city connected with the networks of smart cities in the country and in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region by 2030.
The 2020 edition of the international forum and exhibition Smart City Asia will take place in HCM City from September 3 to 5, heard a press conference held by the Vietnam Digital Communications Association (VDCA) in Hanoi on July 14.
Ho Chi Minh City's Department of Information and Communications on August 25 signed an agreement with the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) on technical assistance for the building of a smart city operations centre.
Smart cities hold the answer to the modern world's problems including rising population, pollution, traffic congestion, climate change and even global-scale disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic, according to experts.
Vietnamese businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), must embrace digital and AI transformations to remain competitive and achieve sustainable growth, experts said.
Under the European Union (EU)’s global initiative on Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence (CoE), Vietnam has implemented numerous projects aimed at strengthening national capacity in detecting, preventing, and preparing for CBRN-related threats.
The course aims to promote knowledge exchange between scientific and educational schools from different countries, while deepening participants’ expertise in modern technology and technical education. It comprises two main specialisations of electronics-automation and nuclear technology.
ANTARA and VNA can design global-scale cooperation programmes or joint media campaigns, demonstrating the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Indonesia, as well as the cooperation between the two national news agencies.
As Vietnam’s digital transformation accelerates, both the frequency and severity of cyberattacks are growing. The National Cybersecurity Association (NCA) reported that in 2024 alone, there were some 659,000 separate cybersecurity incidents, impacting around 46.15% of government agencies and businesses.
A key highlight will be the technology cluster pavilion, showcasing top enterprises selected for their innovation, market potential, and practical applications. These firms will display flagship products and solutions, supported by government policies to strengthen the tech sector.
Since 2022, more than 500 Vietnamese startups have engaged in Google’s Startup Academy, Google for Startups Accelerator, and Google Startup Masterclass. Nearly 100 of these firms received support to develop and improve their products, benefiting more than 300,000 customers and creating over 300 new jobs through successful fundraising and team expansion amidst Vietnam’s competitive economy.
Over the past three decades, Binh Duong has cemented its status as one of Vietnam’s most dynamic industrial hubs, building a robust foundation in manufacturing, exports, and investment. The province now has 30 operational industrial parks spanning over 13,000 hectares, with an occupancy rate exceeding 90%.
The diplomat emphasised that Vietnam places the highest priority on the development of science, technology, and innovation, viewing them as critical drivers for the country’s advancement in the new development era.
The PM revealed Vietnam’s plan to develop nuclear power in the near future, and called on the Swedish side to assist Vietnam in developing and refining legal and policy frameworks for the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes; training and developing human resources; ensuring nuclear safety; and conducting training and drills to improve incident management capabilities.
More than an art showcase, the second “Technology with heart” contest seeks to inspire innovation and spotlight the humanistic values that technology can bring into daily life, expected to contribute to a sustainable digital future.
The average speed of the national mobile broadband network remained stable, with download speeds reaching 76.86 Mbps and upload speeds reaching 26.98 Mbps.
Under the MoU, AMD will support several key initiatives spearheaded by HCM City’s authorities, including piloting policies, co-hosting innovation events, and evaluating the investment environment within the Saigon Hi-Tech Park.
The centre is a joint initiative between Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology, with PTIT and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) serving as co-leads, and global telecommunications giant Nokia as founding industry partner.
The new centre, staffed by a team of scientists, researchers, and AI specialists working in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, forms part of Qualcomm’s global AI research group.
As a flagship initiative of the community project “Digital Literacy for All”, the programme forms part of a national scheme to equip 20 million young people with digital business skills.
The organisers hope the competition will help shape a generation of exceptional engineers who will make significant contributions to Vietnam’s scientific and technological progress in this era of transformation.
In the digital age and amidst the Fourth Industrial Revolution, IP plays an increasingly critical role, not only in safeguarding inventions but also in reducing copyright infringement and curbing piracy.
At the online press conference (Photo: enternews.vn) 
