A competition entitled “Innovate Like a Swede”, launched in Hanoi on September 18, is designed to inspire Vietnamese college and university students to brainstorm ideas for environmentally sustainable production and responsible consumption in Vietnam.
Second Secretary of the Swedish Embassy Johan Alvin addresses the launch of the competition on September 18 (Photo: VNA)
Co-hosted by the Swedish Embassy in Vietnam, and the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Science and Technology, the competition runs from September 18 to November 11.
It encourages the participating students to find solutions to help Vietnam reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). It focuses on Goal 12: sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Participants will generate ideas and possible products and services that contribute to the sustainable production and responsible consumption. Their submissions to the competition can be technical solutions or concepts.
“For Sweden, reaching the SDGs is very high priority and as an embassy we work to promote these values in Vietnam and to encourage an exchange of knowledge and ideas between our two countries," said Johan Alvin, the Swedish Embassy’s second secretary, at the competition’s opening ceremony.
“Vietnam faces many challenges, but with these challenges comes the opportunity to be innovative and to think outside of the box,” Alvin said. “This is something that we want to encourage through ‘Innovate Like a Swede’.”
Entries may comprise anything from completely new ideas that have not been developed to innovative ways of using existing solutions. A jury consisting of representatives from the Swedish companies and universities in Vietnam will judge the entries on the basis of feasibility and commercial viability, degree of innovation and potential level of impact.
The winning team will be awarded a study visit to Swedish companies’ regional headquarters in Singapore in 2018. Runner-up teams will get internships at Swedish companies in Vietnam.
‘Innovate like a Swede’ will be a chance to show participants’ science creativity and a rewarding experience for Vietnamese students from all universities and colleges, said Pham Quang Hung, deputy head of the Education Ministry’s International Cooperation Department. “I hope many students will join the competition and win the awards.”-VNA