SMU, through its Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE), has signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) on 27 April to share its experience in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship with Vietnam. The two MOUs were signed by SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer, President of University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City Professor Nguyen Dong Phong, and Mr Don Lam, CEO and Co-Founder of Vina Capital, and Mr Truong Gia Binh, Chairman of the Private Sector Development Committee in the presence of His Excellency Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, during his visit to SMU. H.E. Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited the Business Innovations Generator (BIG) managed by IIE, interacted with start-ups founded by Vietnamese which are incubated by BIG, met with Vietnamese students currently studying at SMU as well as selected start-ups incubated by BIG with business operations in Vietnam.

SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer said, “UEH and SMU’s business school are alike in both specialising in management education, with a strong interest in innovation and entrepreneurship. Both run large-scale competitions in entrepreneurship and innovation, such as the annual Dynamics competition at UEH and the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition at SMU by IIE. The Lee Kuan Yew Competition, which is the biggest of its kind in East Asia, allows us to convene some of the best talents and ideas from around the world. With SMU and UEH partnering together, we will be even greater than the sum of our parts and have the potential to make a large joint impact in Vietnam and across Southeast Asia.”