Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – May 30, 2026
Innovation took over The Global City as 105 students from the University of San Carlos (Philippines) swapped their classrooms for one of Southeast Asia’s most ambitious urban developments, joining Vietnam Is Awesome, CrownTrust, Saigon Business School, and InterEdu for the AI Experience @ Global City. With a full day of exploration, hands-on AI workshops, and live presentations, big ideas turned into real solutions.
A Morning of Exploration
The day kicked off with a guided tour of The Global City — one of Ho Chi Minh City’s most significant urban developments in the making. Students explored the district first-hand, taking in the key highlights of the area:
- Architecture & urban design: Walking through the development’s residential, commercial, and entertainment spaces to understand how it is being built from the ground up.
- The brief: Pay attention to everything you see. Pick one observation. Turn it into a problem statement. Work with your group to develop an AI solution for it.
- Lunch at Madame Lam: After the tour, students sat down at Madame Lam — a Michelin-selected Vietnamese contemporary restaurant — giving them an authentic taste of local cuisine before the afternoon’s work
From Ideas to Solutions
With the tour complete and observations in hand, the afternoon shifted to the highlight — a hands-on AI workshop led by MEng. Hoang Le Hai Thanh, lecturer at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (VNU-HCM), with deep expertise in AI, Digital Twin 5.0, and large language models. After a keynote grounding students in the fundamentals, groups got to building — using ChatGPT, Gemini, and Vercel to develop five-minute presentations around their AI solutions for The Global City.
Groups presented to a panel of judges — Mr Hai Thanh, along with Dr Archival Sebial, and Ms Christine Pena from the University of San Carlos. Ideas ranged from AI-powered AR navigation apps and smart kiosks for accessibility to drone delivery systems and intelligent digital guides for residents and tourists.
More Than a Workshop
By the end of the day, 105 students had explored a world-class urban development, learned from an AI expert, and presented real solutions to a live panel — walking away with far more than a certificate.
This would not have been possible without the collaboration of its partners:
- Vietnam Is Awesome (VIA): Community vision and network behind the event.
- CrownTrust: Venue, tour coordination, and on-the-ground logistics at The Global City.
- Saigon Business School (SBS): Academic partnership and programme design.
- InterEdu: Bridging the connection between the University of San Carlos and the Ho Chi Minh City partners.
To every student, mentor, and partner involved — thank you for showing that innovation has no borders, and that the best ideas come from people willing to show up, explore, and build.
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About Vietnam Is Awesome
Vietnam Is Awesome is a vibrant community platform that connects expats, Viet Kieu, travellers, and locals through cultural, lifestyle, and community events. With a mission to celebrate the beauty, creativity, and diversity of Vietnam, VIA organises experiences that foster connection and showcase the best of local living from adventure and travel to wellness and social impact.
