PRESS RELEASE
Ho Chi Minh City

VIETNAM DIGITAL ECONOMY FORUM 2018
Changes and Strategic Solutions for SMEs in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Ho Chi Minh City, November 1.2018, the Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts (AVSE Global), especially the Vietnam Digital Economy (VDE) network, in cooperation with Quang Trung Software City (QTSC) and Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies (HIDS) under the direction of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee organize “Vietnam Digital Economy Forum 2018: Challenges and Strategic Solutions for SMEs in the Fourth Industrial Revolution". This is the main event in the series of seminars and activities of the Vietnam Digital Economy Forum 2018.

The world economy is changing dramatically under the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. With the superior economic efficiency, the new economic models are making fundamental changes in many industries, from information and communication, entertainment, education and training to transportation, hotel, distribution, wholesale and retail, etc. New technology strengths also help private startups take advantage of traditional industries. Digital conglomerates have made significant changes in the value chain of industries as well as global supply chains. The digital business model has become a vibrant trend, requiring traditional ones to make dramatic changes to survive and develop.

In Vietnam, the development of digital models is creating useful services for people and making use of idle resources in an efficient way in society. However, they also create contradictions with traditional business. Facing with the prospect of digital models that will have an effect on many areas of the economy, solving these problems with administrative tools, policies need to balance immediate and long-term benefits.

In addition, the development of superior organizational and technological models poses a huge problem in human resources Researchers at the University of Oxford and McKinsey consulting group predict that 50% of jobs in developed countries will be replaced by automation processes over the next 15 years. This rate is higher in developing countries like Vietnam because the value added of the local workforce is very low compared to the world average. Therefore, the need for training and retraining human resources to meet the demands of the digital economy is becoming increasingly urgent.

In this context, the Vietnam Digital Economy (VDE) Network created the Vietnam Digital Economy Forum (VDE Forum), which aims to create a platform for dialogue between the national policy makers, Vietnamese enterprises, global economic groups and leading experts in Vietnam and the world. The two main objectives of the forum are: sharing national strategic visions and practical experiences in public and business organizations.

The first forum was held in Hanoi in 2017. This year, VDE forum will take place on November 01, 2018 in Ho Chi Minh City, welcome 21 speakers who are senior experts from national and international organizations in Public Policy, Digital Technology (Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain technology) to Innovation in management and business model. The forum also expect to attract more than 500 participants from the Ministry of Information and Communications and leaders, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, leaders of departments and government agencies of Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces, District People's Committee, consulates and diplomatic departments in HCMC, business associations, professionals and experts from universities, colleges, research institutes in the field of digital economics, founders of startups to leaders of SMEs, MNCs and press media agencies in Vietnam and international.

With the discussion of high professional content, presentations from speakers are presented in four sessions:

• Session 1: Vietnam Digital Economy scenarios
• Session 2: The Impact of Digital Technology to Business Strategies of the SMEs
• Session 3: Applying Digital Technology to Improve the Competitiveness of SMEs
• Session 4: Digitalized services supporting SMEs

André Laperrière (Executive Director of the United Nations Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN) informs that GODAN has partnered with 800 government, non-governmental organizations and entreprises from more than 100 countries. Laperrière wishes to cooperate with organizations in Viet Nam to share experiences in using Open Data to improve food safety, contribute to improved nutrition and reduce the risk of disease for people.

Ryan Jacildo (Economist of Asia Desk, Organisation for Economic Operation and Development (OECD), Development Center) mentions that Digitalisation and the expansion of the digital economy–the convergence of fixed, mobile and broadcast networks, the increasing connectivity of devices and objects, and the changes in social interactions and personal relationships that these developments bring about–are reshaping the manufacturing and services sectors in Emerging Asia.

Ludovic Bodin, the international investment ambassador, France AI, said that artificial intelligence technology will dramatically change the way societies operate and the destiny of businesses. Therefore there is a need for a holistic and integrated development strategy between policy makers, research institutions, technology investment funds as well as large, medium and small enterprises applying data and technology. Artificial Intelligence.

Mr. Vu Ngoc Anh, founder of the Vietnam Digital Economy Forum, shared the experience of France: from an economic system concentrating to international industríes and services groups, The French government and major cities such as Paris, Lyon and Lille have been experimenting with innovations and projects in the fields of law, investment, technology and innovation management. The aim is to make the SMEs be the driving force for the development of the French economy in the digital economy process.

The Vietnam Digital Economy Forum 2018 also has the participation of policy makers from state and provincial organizations such as: Nguyen Thanh Phuc (Director General, Authority of Information Technology Application, Ministry of Information and Communications), Le Trung Nghia (Head, Department of Applied IT Promotion, Office of Environmental Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology), Lam Nguyen Hai Long, Chief Executive Officer, Quang Trung Software City), Vu Thanh Tu Anh (Director of Research at Fulbright Economics Teaching Program, member of National Economic Advisory Board of Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc), Nguyen Duc Khuong (Professor of Finance at IPAG Paris, member of member of National Economic Advisory Board of Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc).

Without stopping in the form of seminars, VDE Forum 2018 commit after the event, Vietnam will gain practical values in order to: 1) Applying digital technology to build new economic models and assess the factors affecting the economic and social development; 2) Developing a synchronous strategy for economic development, science and technology and human resource training;  3) Setting development goals and specific evaluation index; 4) Connecting policy makers, business community and people in attracting international investment and human resources to Vietnam.

For more information, please visit: www.VDEforum.org

Contact for newspaper:

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Lan (Tel: 09 05 08 40 77 , email: contact@VDEforum.org)

Ms. Pham Thi Tam (Tel: 08888 77 584, email: tampt@qtsc.com.vn)

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Information about:

Vietnam Digital Economy (VDE) is a network of professionals, startups, business executives from all continents who are interested in and sharing the topic of digital economy in Vietnam. VDE has organized many professional activities on digital economy such as: Forum, conference, roundtable; support Business trip of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee in Paris to work with The Government of the French Republic about Experience in deploying the Open Data Ecosystem (1/2017) and business trip of Minister of the Office of the Government Mai Tien Dung in Europe, working with The Government of the Republic of Estonia and The Government of the French Republic about Digital Government (1/2018); provide many reports suggest Digital Economy development policy for the Prime Minister, Government and many provinces;

The Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts (AVSE Global) was founded in May 2011 with the main purpose of connecting intellectual networks (Digital Economy, Civil Engineering, Banking & Finance, Education, Energy) to make contribution to the development of Vietnam.

Quang Trung Software City (QTSC) is the first and largest software park in Vietnam, founded on March 16, 2011 and has a total area of 43 hectares as originally designed. As of present, QTSC has attracted around 157 IT companies, five of whom employ more than 1,000 people. QTSC now has 20 office buildings, five IT training centers, four bank transaction offices, and 20 parking lots. The  software  city  also  boasts  a  wide range of on-site amenities like apartments for  experts,  dormitories,  underground power  lines,  and  wastewater  treatment system, a kindergarten, a healthcare center, an incubator, and a business support center. QTSC is now home to about 20,755 workers and students.

In the transformation stage from a local software park into a smart city model,  QTSC has  made  the  most  of  the  companies’ strengths  to  develop  the  Integrated Operation  Centre  which  uses  Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to manage and monitor the park. QTSC  has  also  built  a  specialized area to research and develop new products  and  solutions  (QTSC  R&D  Labs). QTSC R&D Labs was established to create a public space for research and development, supporting enterprises in their research as well as attracting many leading experts to work at QTSC.

The application of the smart urban  model  at  QTSC  is  a  long-term process and is one of the primary objectives  that  will  turn  QTSC  into  a  leading software city in Asia.

The Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies (HIDS) was established on 1st , October 2008 by unifying the Institute for Economic Research and the Social Science Institute (belonged to HCMC People’s Committee); and merging with Urban Planning Institute (an affiliate of the Department of Planning and Architecture).

HIDS is a state agency under HCMC People’s Committee. Its strategic function is to carry out scientific researches; consult and advise on the matters of Socio-Economics, Urban Environment and Planning to HCM City’s Party Committee and People’s Committee.

HIDS has legal personality, funded scientific research and operational budget, has its own seal and the right to open accounts at the State Treasury and the Bank in accordance with the law.