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| The project team from the University of Foreign Languages presenting their project at the competition |
Meaningful and Practical
Ms. Ho Thi Thuy Trang, M.A., a member of the project team “Developing an online lecture system and digital learning resources on LMS (Moodle) based on the Community of Practice (CoP) model” from the University of Foreign Languages, Hue University (third prize winner), said that the First Hue University Innovation Solutions Competition 2025 holds significant and practical value for lecturers in their professional work and in training high-quality human resources.
The competition serves as an academic forum, providing lecturers with opportunities to propose, pilot, and implement innovative ideas in teaching, scientific research, and technology transfer. It also enables faculty members to update their knowledge, exchange experiences, and apply emerging educational trends, thereby enhancing professional capacity and teaching quality.
The competition also encourages creative thinking, problem-solving skills, and a spirit of innovation within the university environment. For the University of Foreign Languages in particular, the initiative of “Developing an online lecture system and digital learning resources on LMS (Moodle) based on the Community of Practice (CoP) model” aims to deliver meaningful social impacts. Specifically, it helps reduce lecturers’ workloads while fostering knowledge sharing and intergenerational learning among faculty members. Hence, the initiative enhances lecture quality, diversifies open learning resources for students, and contributes to improved teaching and learning outcomes.
By participating in the competition, from idea development and the semifinal round to training sessions aimed at enhancing presentation skills, lecturers gained opportunities for interdisciplinary and inter-university collaboration, helping to build a strong academic network across Hue University. This actively supported research activities, experience sharing, and the implementation of joint projects, contributing to improving training quality at member universities and Hue University as a whole.
Stepping out of the “Comfort Zone”
According to Dr. Hoang Kim Toan, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI), Hue University, the competition is not merely an academic playground but a significant “catalyst” for transforming the mindset of administrators, lecturers, and researchers across the university. It encourages faculty members to step out of their comfort zones, ignite creativity and innovation, and move toward the commercialization of research outcomes while addressing real-world challenges facing the community. This serves as a foundation for building a dynamic and sustainable entrepreneurial university ecosystem.
“Although this was the first time the competition has been held, it received strong engagement from member universities and affiliated faculties. Following the preliminary rounds at the institutional level, the Organizing Committee selected 9 high-quality projects for the semifinals, with 6 outstanding initiatives advancing to the final round. While the number might not be large, it was highly selective, accurately reflecting the existing potential,” noted Dr. Hoang Kim Toan.
The proposed solutions spanned a wide range of fields, including medicine, education, law, engineering technology, and languages. Notably, the project teams demonstrated strong capacity to integrate emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and digital transformation, into their areas of expertise. Examples included AI-driven applications in legal education and technological solutions for electric vehicles. This highlighted the high intellectual value of the projects as well as their strong potential for practical application and commercialization.
As a first-time event, the biggest challenge laid in shifting researchers’ mindsets. The transition from academic language to business-oriented thinking, such as business models and pitching, proved unfamiliar for many participants. In addition, heavy teaching workloads limited the time lecturers could devote to developing viable business models. Communication efforts at the unit level were occasionally not fully synchronized, resulting in some promising ideas being missed.
Building on its initial success, Hue University has decided to hold the competition annually to spark creativity and intellectual engagement among its faculty and staff, contributing to its goal of becoming a National University in the coming years.