The final round of the third Vietnam Mold Grand Prix 2026 is held on September 17, as part of the 10th International Business-to-Business Exhibition for Manufacturing – FBC ASEAN 2026.

HÀ NỘI The final round of the third Vietnam Mold Grand Prix 2026, bringing together 12 teams representing universities and technical colleges across Việt Nam, was held on September 17, at the Vietnam Exposition Center (VEC) in in Hà Nội.

The activity was organised by the Japan–Vietnam Mold Club (JVMC) in collaboration with the Vietnam Association for Supporting Industries (VASI), as part of the 10th International Business-to-Business Exhibition for Manufacturing – FBC ASEAN 2026.

The competition aims to identify and nurture a new generation of young engineers with expertise in mold design and manufacturing, production-oriented thinking, and the ability to solve technical problems in real-world industrial environments.

“The activities of the JVMC have been highly valued not only for promoting cooperation between businesses from the two countries, but also for their strong focus on human-resource development and technology transfer. These efforts are in line with Việt Nam's recent resolutions aimed at promoting cooperation between Vietnamese and foreign enterprises and developing a highly skilled workforce,” said Secretary General of the Japanese Business Association in Việt Nam, Yoshida Susumu.

Secretary General of the Japanese Business Association in Việt Nam, Yoshida Susumu, speaks at the event.

According to Phạm Hải Phong, Vice Chairman of VASI, one of the key objectives of the Vietnam Mold Grand Prix is to narrow the gap between education and the actual needs of the industrial sector.

“Through the competition, students have the opportunity to gain knowledge and practical experience from experts in the mold-making industry, while also being exposed to businesses, technologies and real-world production requirements,” said Phong.

“At the same time, the competition provides companies with an additional channel to connect with young talent, assess students' technical capabilities and directly participate in the training of the next generation of engineers.”

This is particularly significant as Việt Nam seeks to gradually increase the localisation rate of production and participate more deeply in global manufacturing supply chains. Mold design and manufacturing capabilities are among the key foundations for developing supporting industries and increasing the added value of products manufactured in Việt Nam.

JVMC chairman Maniwa Hideya said that this year’s competition attracted more teams than in previous years. The competition assignments were also designed to be more challenging, going beyond the design stage to require students to directly participate in mold manufacturing and the completion of actual products.

As a result, students had the opportunity to confront practical challenges involving machining capabilities, precision, stability, assembly, operation and the ability to meet the requirements of mass production.

"Against the backdrop of Việt Nam's manufacturing and engineering industries gradually entering a new stage of development, strengthening links among the government, educational institutions and businesses to train highly capable and skilled engineers and technicians has become more important than ever.

"The Vietnam Mold Grand Prix aims to create an environment in which the next generation of workers can gain access to advanced technologies. In particular, displaying molds and products at FBC ASEAN 2026 provides an opportunity for the achievements of the competing teams to be introduced directly to the domestic and international business community, thereby bringing technical education closer to the manufacturing ecosystem," said Hideya.

A student from the Industrial University of Hồ Chí Minh City presents his team's design.

As a participant in the competition, student Phạm Vũ Khang from the Industrial University of Hồ Chí Minh City noted that in the mold-making industry, a good design is evaluated not only by its shape or the accuracy of its drawings.

“Therefore, the competing teams are required not only to complete their designs but also to tackle problems that arise during manufacturing, assembly, and testing, continuously refining and adjusting their solutions along the way,” said Khang.

“Bringing the project to a close with many valuable hands-on experiences, we see this as an important starting point in our journey to master manufacturing technology. Moving from ‘knowing how to do it’ to ‘knowing how to do it effectively,’ and, more importantly, to ‘knowing how to take responsibility’—these are the greatest values that our journey through the competition has given us,” he added. VNS

Vietnam Mold Grand Prix 2026 bringing together 12 teams representing universities and technical colleges across Việt Nam. Photos courtesy of the organisers