RMIT wins 18th consecutive Golden Dragon Award

RMIT Vietnam has won the prestigious Golden Dragon Awards for the 18th consecutive time thanks to its significant contribution in the education sector and Vietnam’s economy and society.

Organised by Vietnam Economic Times, the 2021-2022 Golden Dragon Awards ceremony honoured the top 50 green growth foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) in Vietnam, as well as their significant contributions to Vietnam’s economy.
According to RMIT Vietnam Chairman Professor Peter Coloe, being recognised at this year’s awards once again reflected the University’s commitment to being a sustainable organisation and showed the impact that our teaching and learning, research and operations has on society and the environment in Vietnam. 

Professor Coloe emphasised on the University’s contribution to the development of the country and the region including research and applications on city design and sustainable urban development to best respond to changing socio-economic and environmental conditions.

“In January 2021, we held our first annual Smart Cities Forum in Ho Chi Minh City. The event brought international and industry experts together to discuss the building blocks of smart and sustainable cities. 

“As part of the forum’s agenda, RMIT and the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to foster collaboration in several key areas, including international education standards, smart city development, leadership capacity, innovation and start-up promotion”, he said.

In November 2021, RMIT University in partnership with the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM) and the Digital Transformation Consulting and Support Center (DXCenter) of Ho Chi Minh City organised a follow-up event, which discussed the significant importance to sustainably developing Vietnam’s urban centres. 

“These are the kinds of positive partnerships that we intend to forge and foster in order to continue making a genuine contribution to the lives of people in Vietnam and the wider region,” Professor Coloe affirmed.
Research and Innovation is rapidly evolving in Vietnam with great opportunities lying ahead of us. 

“To achieve outcomes with genuine impact in the community, the University embeds the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into our research endeavours. Our research areas span across circular economy, smart cities, climate change, gender quality, culture and creativity, COVID recovery, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and agriculture”, Professor Coloe said.

RMIT students are also equipped with critical and analytical thinking along with problem-solving skills in generating positive solutions to global sustainability related issues. For example, the Tourism and Hospitality Management Program has also embraced RMIT’s teaching and learning approach by embedding the concept of sustainability, authentic assessment and work integrated learning in all its courses.

Last year, a group of RMIT tourism students won the championship in 2021 UNWTO Students League global competition for their sustainability action plan to reduce plastic waste on Phu Quoc island, Vietnam. With the goal to help a tourism accommodation provider in Phu Quoc island reduce plastic waste and consumption, the team proposed innovative solutions including reducing plastic items in hygiene and sanitation, educating tourists about plastic waste, and cooperating with Organic Trade Association (OTA) to develop green badges.

In the same year, a group of three RMIT Bachelor of Communication (Professional Communication) students were named the runner-up at the prestigious global D&AD New Blood Quickfire competition 2021 for their IBM Smart Repair idea – an app to help extend phone lifespans and reduce e-waste. 

Finally, despite unprecedented times caused by the pandemic, over 1,450 RMIT Vietnam students finally concluded their higher education journey and graduated at RMIT ceremonies at its Saigon South and Hanoi campus this week. These graduates will join a thriving alumni community of 16,500 RMIT alumni in Vietnam and over 480,000 alumni worldwide in today's fast changing world.

_{RMIT Senior Manager, Careers, Alumni & Industry Relations Ms Manuela Spiga accepted the Golden Dragon Award at a ceremony held in Ho Chi Minh City on 8 April 2021}