Open Innovation Conference 2025 at VinUniversity: A Forum on Open Innovation in the Age of AI and Sustainable Development
December 5, 2025
The Open Innovation Conference (OIC) 2025 officially returned to VinUniversity, marking the second edition of the annual event that brings together leading minds from the public sector, industry, and academia in Vietnam and around the world. This year, OIC welcomed 300 participants and featured more than 50 peer-reviewed papers, with over 100 authors from 12 countries submitting their work – a testament to the event’s growing prominence within the global research community.
Dr. Lê Mai Lan – President, VinUniversity University Council
Under the theme “Open Innovation in the age of AI and Sustainability,” OIC 2025 continued to serve as a multidimensional forum at the intersection of technology, policy, and economics – a place where emerging trends are examined, connected, and shaped to support Vietnam’s green and sustainable development future.
Organized by VinUniversity – represented by the Center for Smart Green Transformation (GREEN-X) – in collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Technology, Saïd Business School (University of Oxford), SC Johnson College of Business (Cornell University), and the Center for International Development (Duke University), the event reflected VinUni’s vision of building an open innovation ecosystem that brings global knowledge closer to Vietnam’s needs, challenges, and opportunities. The conference gathered government leaders, policymakers, distinguished scholars, and pioneering industry representatives to discuss key issues such as AI and robotics, green technologies, circular economy, renewable energy, digital health, and the semiconductor sector – all regarded as vital growth drivers amid Vietnam’s accelerating digital and green transitions.
Prof. Chenming Hu – Professor Emeritus, University of California
Prof. Wim Vanhaverbeke – Professor of Digital Strategy and Innovation, University of Antwerp
A special highlight of this year’s OIC was the presence of two globally influential keynote speakers: Professor Chenming Hu, known as the “father of FinFET” – the foundation of most modern semiconductor chips; and Professor Wim Vanhaverbeke, one of the world’s foremost scholars in Open Innovation. Their visionary keynote addresses offered fresh perspectives on the role of science and technology in socio-economic development.
In addition, roundtable discussions on open innovation in the semiconductor industry and business model transformation in the digital age brought together experts from the Ministry of Science and Technology, UC Berkeley, the University of Antwerp, and Vietnam National University, Hanoi. A series of parallel sessions explored diverse topics including digital health, AI and innovation ecosystems, sustainable agriculture, smart green technologies, transportation and renewable energy, and green finance – providing a comprehensive view spanning research, technology, and market opportunities.
With its multidisciplinary dialogue and the partnership of leading global academic institutions, OIC 2025 further reinforces VinUni’s role as a hub for knowledge exchange – a place that fosters open innovation, sparks collaboration, and contributes to shaping sustainable solutions for Vietnam’s future.
