HCM CITY — Universities in the country are expanding academic programmes that encourage students to take part in the startup culture, HCM City Party Secretary Nguyễn Thiện Nhân said on Thursday at a ceremony marking the beginning of the academic year.

Speaking at Việt Nam National University- HCM City, Nhân said that creative startups established by young people were essential to spur the country’s socio-economic development.

“Startups should be integral to our country’s sustainable development,” he said, adding that students have many opportunities to start their own businesses.

Nhân said that more graduates should be involved in research efforts so that HCM City can become “an urban centre with good cybersecurity”.

Farmers in the Mekong Delta region, the country’s agricultural hub, for example, need advanced machinery, he said. “The need of smart machines for agricultural production is very high.”

Though startup programmes at universities exist, the number of people opening their own company remains low.

One of 200 people opened a new company last year in the entire country, but HCM City had a higher rate, with one of 53 people establishing new enterprises, according to Nhân.

He urged students to study business skills in operation and administration and after graduation seek help from city programmes that provide capital for startups.

HCM City has four startup programmes, organised by the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union, the Department of Science and Technology, the Việt Nam National University-HCM City,  Saigon Hi-tech Park and Quang Trung Software City.

The city’s Saigon Hi-Tech Park includes many centres for startups. 

Nhân encouraged Việt Nam National University-HCM City to work with city agencies to make robots, which are needed in many sectors, including healthcare.

He also said the university should cooperate with Saigon Hi-Tech Park and other universities to turn HCM City’s eastern districts of 2, 9 and Thủ Đức into a creative urban area with an advanced technological infrastructure.

Established in 1995,Việt Nam National University-HCM City has 41 training programmes that meet the standards of ASEAN, Europe and the US. It includes six member universities. —VNS