The national conference "Circular Economy – The Pathway to Sustainable Development."

10 tháng 11 năm 2023

On the morning of October 25, 2023, at Hall A - Vinh Long Branch, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) in coordination with the Department of Planning and Investment of Vinh Long province, National Economics University, Can Tho University - School of Economics, and EU4 Sustainability Project - Erasmus Plus - European Higher Education - European Commision organized a national conference with the theme "Circular Economy – The Pathway to Sustainable Development."

Participating in the Conference was Dr. Bui Quang Hung - Vice President of UEH - Director of Vinh Long Campus; Dr. Phan Thi Bich Nguyet - Chairwoman of the Strategy and Policy Advisory Council; Prof. Dr. Nguyen Trong Hoai - Editor-in-Chief of JABES; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Khanh Nam - Vice president of CELG at UEH; Dr. Dinh Thi Thu Hong - Vice president of the School of Business at UEH (COB); Prof. To Trung Thanh - Head of the Research Management Department, National Economics University; Mr. Nguyen Khac Nhu - Deputy Director of the Provincial Internal Affairs Department of Vinh Long, Former Deputy Director of the Provincial Planning and Investment Department of Vinh Long; Dr. Bui Xuan Thanh - Head of School of Political Theory at UEH; Dr. Hoang Hai Yen - Head of School of Banking at COB - EU4 Sustainability Project Coordination; Dr. Tran Anh Hoa - Head of School of Accounting at COB; Heads of departments, faculty members, and students from the main campus; Board of Directors, faculty members, and students from the Vinh Long campus; representatives from departments, committees, sectors, universities, and colleges within and outside Vinh Long province; Union of Scientific and Technical Associations, IT Association, Entrepreneur Association, banks, enterprises, cooperatives within the province.

The speakers at the conference included: Professor Dr. Nguyen Trong Hoai, Associate Professor Dr. Pham Khanh Nam; Mr. Nguyen Anh Minh - CEO of Thai Do Industrial Park Joint Stock Company - part of Nam Cau Kien Ecological Industrial Park, Hai Phong; Dr. Nguyen Tram Anh - National Technical Expert from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO); and Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Huong - Head of the Office of the Management Board for Export Processing Zones and Industrial Parks in Ho Chi Minh City (HEPZA).

Overview of the Conference

The conference was organized offline to create a forum for exchange and sharing of the circular economy model among scientists, government agencies, commercial banks, and businesses in the Mekong Delta region. It particularly focused on issues related to Circular Economy (CE) for sustainable development, circular business models, and the relationship between CE and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The conference aimed to propose policy implications to effectively implement CE, promote sustainable development in Vietnam, especially in the Mekong Delta region, in the near future.

Speaking at the opening of the conference, Dr. Bui Quang Hung - Vice Director of UEH and Director of Vinh Long campus shared: "Circular Economy - Pathway to Sustainable Development is an engaging, practical, and meaningful theme for the conference in promoting sustainable development in Vietnam, particularly in the Mekong Delta region. The concept of circular economy has been recognized as a practical solution for sustainable development in countries worldwide. The activities of the circular economy model help in reusing finite resources and minimizing the impacts of climate change and environmental pollution. Vietnam is a country heavily affected by climate change, making the application of the circular economy model essential in the context of depleting resources. For the Mekong Delta region, implementing the circular economy model will protect its natural ecosystem and ensure sustainable development in the future, focusing on innovative growth models and minimizing environmental harm. As a multidisciplinary university, UEH has implemented various green and sustainable development strategies in the Mekong Delta region, aiming to contribute to economic growth, minimize negative environmental impacts, support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and address the challenges of climate change."

Dr. Bui Quang Hung - Vice Director of UEH and Director of Vinh Long Campus delivered the opening speech at the conference.

Since its inception, the conference has attracted significant attention from experts and scientists, receiving 85 papers addressing various aspects of Circular Economy for sustainable development, circular business models, and the relationship between Circular Economy and financial efficiency, company value. These papers propose policy implications to effectively implement Circular Economy and promote sustainable development in Vietnam, including the Mekong Delta region. During the conference, speakers presented important content on the principles and models of the circular economy, resources for the circular economic development process, and practical applications of the circular economy model in Vietnamese businesses.

The presented topics and papers have attracted the attention of many distinguished delegates and invited guests, leading to numerous questions, practical issues, and discussions during the conference. In order to facilitate detailed exchanges on the content related to the circular economy model, the conference organized three parallel sessions: Session A (Principles and models of the circular economy); Session B (Resources for circular economic development); and Session C (Application of the circular economy in Vietnam).

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Trong Hoai - Editor-in-Chief of JABES Journal presented a paper titled "Circular Economy Model: A Case Study from a Business Approach."

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Khanh Nam - Vice president of CELG at UEH presented a paper titled "Measuring Circular Economy in Vietnam."

Mr. Nguyen Khac Nhu - Deputy Director of the Department of Home Affairs of Vinh Long Province, Former Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Investment of Vinh Long Province presented a paper titled "Circular Economy - Appropriate Pathway in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals Implementation and Climate Change Adaptation in Vinh Long Province."

Mr. Nguyen Anh Minh - CEO of Thai Do Industrial Park Joint Stock Company (a subsidiary of Shinec) presented a report on the experience of implementing the circular economy model in businesses.

Dr. Nguyen Tram Anh - National Technical Expert at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) presented a paper titled "Developing Eco-Industrial Parks to Promote Circular Economy Implementation."

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong - Can Tho University presented a paper titled "Legal Measures for Enforcing Environmental Remediation" in Session A

The group of students from the School of Finance - COB presented a paper titled "The Impact of Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth on Air Pollution: Evidence from ASEAN 5 and China" in Session A

Ms. Tran Thi Phuong Thanh - School of Accounting, OCB presented a paper titled "The Impact of Greenhouse Gas Emission Disclosure on Market Value of Listed Companies in Vietnam" in Session B.

Nguyen Hoang Long - School of Finance and Banking, Vinh Long Campus presented a paper titled “Country Governance And Renewable Energy Consumption: Evident From Financial Development Perspective” in Session A.

Mr. Le Huynh Nhu - Bac Lieu University presented a paper titled "Financial Resources for Sustainable Development Goals: The Case of Vietnam" in Session B.

Dr. Nguyen Huu Huan - School of Banking, COB presented a paper titled "Circular Economy and Approaches for Vinh Long Province" in Session C.

Mr. Le Van - Institute of Innovation and Creativity, UEH presented a paper titled "Sustainable Development in the Mekong Delta from the Perspective of Provincial Green Index (PGI)" in Session C.

Mr. Vo Duy Khanh - Endota Company presented a paper titled "Current Status of Applying the Circular Economy Model through Agricultural Waste Treatment with Black Soldier Fly at Endota Company" in Session C.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Huong - Head of the Office of HCM City Export Processing and Industrial Zones Authority (HEPZA) presented a paper titled "Sharing Experiences in Industrial Zone Development with UNIDO Approach" in Session C.

The conference was successfully held with many research studies and valuable opinions contributing to the circular economy model in Vietnam in general and the Mekong Delta region in particular. At the same time, recommendations were made on solutions and policies for developing the circular economy model in the future, aiming to create economic growth opportunities, minimize negative environmental impacts, support the implementation of SDGs, and address the challenges of climate change.