RMIT MBA and EMBA Program Manager Dr Abbott J. Haron said the current situation has shown clear evidence of governmental and social digital transformation in Vietnam.
“The COVID-19 crisis has rocked the world to its core,” he said. “The situation seems bleak, however Vietnam is one of the few countries in the world with a relatively low infection rate. The authorities in Vietnam mobilised a plethora of technologies to monitor and prevent the spread of the virus and the population adapted in record time.”
Digital transformation, which focuses on the transformation and integration of all value-chain partners into digital networks, involves artificial intelligence, technology, exchange of data, and robotics in addition to nano or biotechnological solutions.
Dr Haron also referred to quantum computing, artificial intelligence, self-driving cars, 3D printing and nanotechnologyas technologies that will transform and bring economies into the future, “however, Asian schools do not so far have a full strategy in place to prepare for it”.
“In 2016, less than a quarter of educational organisations in Asia have a full digital plan in place. More than half (53 per cent) are developing a specific policy and 24 per cent have partial or no strategy at all. Unfortunately, Vietnam was one of the 24 per cent that had a partial or no strategy in place,” he said.
“Nevertheless, thanks to the country’s forward-thinking leadership, Vietnam’s digital transformation initiatives have been steadily growing since then, as foreign direct investment poured into the country and multinationals moved their operations to Vietnam to take advantage of the motivated workforce.”
This has resulted in a sharp rise in the numbers of SMEs who have leveraged the latest technological and innovative trends in order to be part of this new ecosystem.
“The private and public sectors in Vietnam see digital transformation as an important revolution,” Dr Haron said. “Both sectors have started to prepare, hoping that digital transformation becomes an instrument for Vietnam to escape the challenges faced by developing countries. It could potentially help Vietnam leap-frog developed countries by leveraging the skills of its young and entrepreneurial population.”