The lecturers from the University of Economics (UEB), in their capacity as keynote speakers at the annual Marketing Week of Asia, had the privilege of meeting Hermawan Kartajaya, who is recognized as one of the "50 masters shaping the future of marketing" by the Chartered Institute of Marketing in the UK.

In the first half of 2023, when businesses in Vietnam and the broader ASEAN region encountered challenges in devising strategies for sustainable growth, three professors from the University of Economics—Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Viet Khoi, Dr. Dao Cam Thuy, and PhD candidate Le Thanh Huong—graciously accepted an invitation to participate in the 11th Marketing Week event held in Jakarta.

The program is organized by the MarkPlus group, which was founded by Hermawan Kartajaya, renowned for his collaboration with Philip Kotler, widely regarded as the "father" of modern marketing. The Jakarta Marketing Week holds great anticipation among marketing professionals and has evolved into a valuable platform for entrepreneurs and the public to engage and share marketing knowledge. During these events, lecturers from VNU provided valuable insights from a Vietnamese perspective on the challenges encountered by startups.

PhD. student Le Thanh Huong presented the question, "What causes the failure of 95% of Vietnamese startups and what lessons can we learn from these failures?" during the program. Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Viet Khoi conducted an analysis and comparison of startups across different generations (X, Y, Z) in terms of entrepreneurial mindset, startup fields, marketing strategy, and operational excellence. Dr. Dao Cam Thuy concluded the presentation by proposing applicable models for startups and showcasing a successful startup case study in Vietnam.

Dr. Dao Cam Thuy observed, "Attending marketing conferences presents myriad opportunities. Foremost, these events facilitate knowledge exchange between academics across Southeast Asia and the wider Asian region, enabling collaborative development of marketing strategies bearing regional influence. Additionally, they open avenues for cooperation between my home institution, UEB, and neighboring countries in fostering marketing initiatives for fledgling startups and SMEs. Finally, participation expands my own vision, which I can impart to UEB's marketing students for their edification."

In addition to the workshop, the lecturers from UEB actively engaged in various other activities during their visit, including visiting the headquarters of MarkPlus Corporation in Jakarta, meeting the groups of students winning the marketing competition and interviewing at the Indonesian TV channel Marketeers, and attending a lecture held by Hermawan Kartajaya at Philip Kotler’s classroom.

"In my dual roles as a lecturer at UEB and President of UEB-ISECI, I met with several Indonesian universities and business partners. Our discussions focused on how we can provide hands-on experience and soft skills development for UEB students through opportunities in Indonesia. We also seek to welcome Indonesian students and business delegations who are interested in short-term training or exchange semester programs at UEB. During my visits, I was pleased to secure a commitment from the President of MarkPlus Corporation to accept UEB students for summer internships at their group headquarters in Indonesia. Opportunities like these will greatly benefit the education and human development of students at both UEB and ISECI.” shared Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Viet Khoi.

Reflecting on the burgeoning partnership between Indonesia and Vietnam, Hermawan remarked at a faculty meeting, "Our nations boast comparable GDP per capita and are actively cultivating greater cooperation. Immense potential exists for collaborative marketing initiatives, research, and training between MarkPlus and the University of Economics and Business in Vietnam.” Hopefully, through Jakarta Marketing Week event, UEB lecturers have gained more profound marketing insight and familiarity with contemporary trends to incorporate into their instruction. This will empower students with the expansive global perspectives necessary to become world citizens in the future.