PolyU to Launch Three Research Tech Centres

In support of the Hong Kong government’s new initiative, InnoHK Clusters, which aims to develop Hong Kong as a hub for global research collaboration, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has joined forces with world-leading institutions to develop research centres under two newly established research clusters – AIR@InnoHK (focusing on artificial intelligence and robotics technologies) and Health@InnoHK (focusing on healthcare-related technologies), in a bid to bring together leading researchers from around the world to conduct impactful collaborative research in Hong Kong.

PolyU is pleased to establish three world-class research centres at the Hong Kong Science Park under the government-funded InnoHK initiative. These three centres, which have commenced operation, are i) the Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence in Design (AiDLab), ii) the Centre for Advances in Reliability and Safety (CAiRS), and iii) the Centre for Eye and Vision Research (CEVR).

PolyU has also become the first local collaborating institution of the “Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Hong Kong Institute of Science & Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences”. Established by the Institute of Automation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the Centre has been admitted to AIR@InnoHK under InnoHK Clusters. With a longstanding and close collaborative relationship, PolyU and CAS, based on their existing cooperation, will further conduct in-depth research collaboration and academic exchange activities in frontier research in data science and artificial intelligence, to jointly promote the development of the AI industry.

The President and Provost of PolyU stated that by partnering with world-acclaimed institutions to establish research centres in InnoHK’s two research clusters, PolyU aims to fully leverage each institution’s academic strengths to bring about significant research breakthroughs, and thereby create impactful technology that boosts the economy and brings benefits to society.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost of the Royal College of Art noted that the strategic partnership integrates AI into the design of products and services, delivering vital research to understand the future of society and the economy, interrogating future requirements and humanising the fourth industrial revolution.

The Director of the Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering (CALCE) of the University of Maryland, College Park, USA said that the collaboration between PolyU and CALCE, that aims to conduct research and development to enable advanced design and manufacturing, and to test the next generation of reliable and safe electronics and components for transportation, consumer products, telecommunication systems, public utilities and other applications in Hong Kong.

Together, it is hoped that a new paradigm for reliability science can be developed and a customised product health management for different industry sectors, using real-time, in-situ, artificial intelligence-based reliability and safety analytics can be promoted.

Going forward, PolyU will continue its efforts in addressing the ever-changing needs of society by promoting high-impact research and fostering collaborations with world-leading institutes, industry partners as well as the government, in order to contribute further to the future research clusters of InnoHK.

Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence in Design (AiDLab)

In collaboration with the Royal College of Art, UK, PolyU established the AiDLab under the AIR@InnoHK cluster to integrate innovative AI technologies into the design to address society’s needs for creativity, efficiency and customisation of products and services. AiDLab is the world’s first research laboratory specialising in interdisciplinary AI and design innovations. Its cutting-edge research will create impacts on society, industry and policy that enhance the quality of life. Three research programmes at AiDLab include Ergonomic and Inclusive Design, Innovation in Product and Service Design, and Intelligent Fashion Design and Quality Control.

Centre for Advances in Reliability and Safety (CAiRS)

CAiRS has been initiated by PolyU under the AIR@InnoHK cluster and the key research collaborator is the University of Maryland, College Park, USA. CAiRS’ mission is to develop new approaches using AI methodologies for customised management and to ensure the reliability and safety of products and systems used in robotics, medical devices, vehicles, telecommunication, consumer products, public utilities, transportation, microelectronics, power devices, sensors and IoT products as well as a broad range of Advanced Manufacturing applications. These research applications and deliverables will contribute significantly to Smart City development.

Five research programmes at CAiRS, namely Anomaly Detection and Syndromic Surveillance, Innovative Diagnostics for Product Health Management, Prognostics for Remaining Useful Life Assessment, Safety Assurance to improve Functional Safety, and Data Analytics Platform for Reliability have commenced.

Centre for Eye and Vision Research (CEVR)

Under the Health@InnoHK cluster, CEVR has been set up as a joint partnership between PolyU and the University of Waterloo, Canada. CEVR promotes eye health with clinical, basic and applied research, and develops ground-breaking technologies to prevent vision loss and preserve sight among the ageing population. CEVR runs five research programmes, namely Myopia and Eye Growth, Ocular Drug Discovery and Delivery, Vision Enhancement, Tear Film and Ocular Surface, and Advanced Optometric Technology.

Vietnam, Italy Collaborate on Synthetic Aperture Radar Tech

Vietnam and Italy plan to advance collaboration in synthetic aperture radar technology and applications. A workshop was held in Hanoi to discuss the partnership as a commemorative activity for the 50^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Italy.

The primary objective of this programme is to foster extensive dialogues regarding the prospective uses of synthetic aperture radar technology, with a particular emphasis on crucial domains such as climate change monitoring, water resource management, and agricultural data collection.

By 2024, the Vietnam National Satellite Centre is anticipated to introduce LOTUSat-1, the inaugural synthetic aperture radar satellite of Vietnam. LOTUSat-1 possesses the capability to capture high-resolution images of the Earth, unaffected by weather conditions, during both day and night.

The image data obtained from this satellite will offer precise information to address the pressing requirement for reliable image sources. With the data, experts will be able to provide timely responses aimed at mitigating the impacts of natural disasters, climate change, resource management, and environmental monitoring. These efforts will contribute to the advancement of socioeconomic development.

The workshop was attended by Pham Anh Tuan, Associate Professor and General Director of Vietnam National Satellite Centre (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology), and Italian Ambassador to Vietnam, Antonio Alessandro, along with experts and leading scientific researchers.

Speaking at the event, Tuan said that the strategy for the development and application of space science and technology to 2030 was approved by the Vietnamese government in 2021. The strategy aims to leverage space technology for the effective management, monitoring, and support of natural resources and the environment, with the aim of mitigating the detrimental effects of natural disasters. The government identified the promotion of international cooperation as an important role in the successful implementation of this strategy.

Italy is one of the few countries with a leading research force in various aspects of the space field, including developing satellites, launching Earth observation satellites, and locating and exploring life in space. Given Italy’s expertise in the field, the collaboration represents a significant opportunity to foster the advancement of space technology within Vietnam, Tuan noted. Moreover, it serves to strengthen the existing strategic partnership between Vietnam and Italy.

Last December, the Italian Embassy in Hanoi and the Vietnam Space Centre (VNSC) at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology launched the “Vietnam-Italy Space Technology and Applications. Looking Beyond” exhibition.

During the exhibition, attendees had the opportunity to view 23 high-definition images of the Earth captured by the COSMO-SkyMed satellite system from Italy. These images encompassed various locations, including two showcasing the city of Hanoi and the Mekong Delta. Additionally, participants engaged with nine panels presented by the Vietnam National Satellite Centre (VNSC), which highlighted the applications of satellite images in remote sensing and disaster prevention within Vietnam.

As OpenGov Asia reported, the exhibition presented scientists and researchers in Vietnam with enhanced opportunities for collaboration with their Italian counterparts in the realm of space science and technology. It also provided them with a platform to explore and apply the outcomes of space technology towards achieving socio-economic objectives and fostering sustainable development.

RMIT University’s Hanoi Industry and Innovation Hub

Members of the Australian Technology Network of Universities (ATN) have again demonstrated their excellence in transnational education with RMIT University’s AU$ 250 million commitment to Vietnam, providing further evidence of their leadership in this field.

The strategic investment in RMIT University’s Hanoi Industry and Innovation Hub, which received praise from the Executive Director of the Australian Technology Network of Universities (ATN), exemplifies the significance of strong international partnerships such as the one with Vietnam.

The AU$ 250 million commitment, announced by the Prime Minister of Australia, highlights RMIT’s dedication to delivering high-quality Australian education to its Vietnam campus. The establishment of the innovation hub, led by the RMIT Vice-Chancellor and his team, will serve as a crucial gateway between the two countries, reinforcing the enduring friendship and cooperation in the region.

The substantial fund allocation will also be used for investments in education, research, partnerships, and campus infrastructure. As the foremost international university in Vietnam, RMIT’s contributions align with the nation’s social and economic objectives, emphasising its commitment to supporting the country’s growth and development.

Established in 2000, RMIT Vietnam was the first foreign-owned international university in the country. As part of its Country Commitment to Vietnam, RMIT aims to foster collaboration among the communities, government, and industries in Hanoi. This commitment focuses on key priorities such as smart and sustainable cities and emerging technologies, demonstrating RMIT’s dedication to supporting and advancing these important areas of development in Vietnam.

The transformative power of education extends to individuals, communities, and economies, according to the RMIT Vice-Chancellor. As the largest higher education institution in Australia operating within Vietnam, RMIT is proud of its role as a leading provider of international education in the country. Over the course of 23 years, RMIT has made significant contributions to Vietnam, reflecting its commitment to the nation’s progress and development.

The investment holds particular significance as it aligns with the 50th year of diplomatic relations between Australia and Vietnam. The commitment made by RMIT will serve as a crucial factor in advancing the objectives of the Australia-Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy, which aims to double two-way investment between the two nations. This investment showcases RMIT’s dedication to fostering stronger economic ties and collaboration, contributing to the growth and prosperity of both Australia and Vietnam.

Australia-Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy

In August 2019, Vietnam and Australia reached an agreement to establish an Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy. The objective of this strategy is to strengthen their trade partnership and double two-way investment, aiming to become one of their top ten trade partners.

By enhancing trade and investment liberalisation, promoting economic connectivity, and capitalising on emerging market opportunities, the strategy reinforces the mutual commitment of both countries. In light of the economic challenges and uncertainties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the governments of Vietnam and Australia have recognised the need to include an emphasis on economic recovery within the strategy.

RMIT University’s substantial investment in Vietnam’s education, research, partnerships, and infrastructure serves as a testament to the institution’s commitment to excellence and leadership in transnational education. This investment not only strengthens RMIT’s position as Vietnam’s leading international university but also aligns with the shared goals of Australia and Vietnam to enhance economic engagement and foster bilateral trade and investment.

As the two countries celebrate their 50th year of diplomatic relations, RMIT’s commitment will play a pivotal role in realising their ambitions of becoming top trade partners and doubling two-way investment. With a focus on economic recovery in the face of challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, RMIT’s investment stands as a symbol of resilience and collaboration, contributing to the social, economic, and technological advancement of both nations.

Singapore-Australia Forge Green and Digital Shipping Corridor

Australia and Singapore have begun conversations regarding potential areas of collaboration in green and digital shipping, hence, a Singapore-Australia Green and Digital Shipping Corridor will be established by the end of 2025.

This development is consistent with the Green Shipping Cooperation initiative outlined in the Singapore-Australia Green Economy Agreement, which was signed in October 2022 by Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry, Gan Kim Yong, and Australia’s Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell.

This collaboration is being led by Australia’s Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts (DITRDCA) and Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA), a Statutory Board under Singapore’s Ministry of Transport (MOT).

These agencies are collaborating closely with port operators, appropriate governments, and marine and energy value chain players on both sides of the Atlantic to galvanise action to decarbonise and digitise the shipping industry. DITRDCA and MPA intend to begin by identifying areas of common interest and partnership to minimise carbon emissions in the maritime industry through coordinated initiatives.

This includes developing low- and zero-carbon fuel supply chains, as well as greening port services and shipping operations to speed the development and adoption of green marine fuel sources. Collaboration would also entail the discovery of digital shipping solutions to promote effective port calls and the flow of products, as well as paperless handling between the ports of Australia and Singapore, all of which would assure system interoperability.

Given Australia and Singapore’s extensive cross-border trade, this collaboration is an important step towards determining how both partners can take a worldwide leadership position in streamlining their shipping routes to test and trial green and digital solutions. This highlights the critical role of international cooperation in decarbonising shipping and the maritime economy.

Collaboration supports environmental sustainability by embracing green shipping practices such as using cleaner fuels, optimising routes, and decreasing emissions, lessening the industry’s impact on climate change and maritime ecosystems.

Digital technology provides for more efficient fleet management, route optimisation, and real-time monitoring, leading to fuel savings, lower operational expenses, and increased profitability for shipping businesses.

Digital solutions improve overall efficiency in areas such as logistics, supply chain management, and cargo handling by streamlining operations, automating procedures, and enabling data-driven decision-making.

Collaboration in digital and green shipping makes it possible to use advanced safety measures like remote monitoring systems, predictive maintenance, and better cybersecurity procedures to protect assets, crew, and cargo.

Acting Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that Singapore and Australia are very important in making the area a place of stability and growth. To stop international rules from falling apart and regional blocs from forming, it is important to keep and improve multilateralism.

He also said that both countries can keep a rules-based system by taking an active role in making global digital trading rules and norms for international trade.

Australia and Singapore have a lot of strategic trust in each other, so their projects can be used as models for wider regional cooperation. By making deals about the digital and green economies and setting new rules for trade in these areas, they can go beyond bilateral agreements and help the whole region.

The collaboration helps bring about stability and growth, which is good for Asia’s future. Singapore and Australia can help keep the region stable and growing while staying true to their shared values and interests if they work together and take an active role.

India’s Mission MAHIR Advancing Power Sector Tech

The Ministry of Power and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy have launched a National Mission to identify emerging technologies within the power sector and indigenously develop them on a large scale. These technologies will be deployed domestically and internationally.

The collaborative National Mission, titled the Mission on Advanced and High-Impact Research (MAHIR), will facilitate indigenous research and development, and demonstrate cutting-edge technologies in the power sector. Its focus is to identify emerging technologies and advance them to the implementation stage. By harnessing these technologies as the key drivers of future economic growth, the Mission aims to establish India as a global manufacturing hub.

Scheduled to commence from the fiscal year 2023-24 and continue for an initial period of five years until 2027-28, the Mission will adopt the technology life cycle approach, progressing from the conceptual stage to the development of a final product.

The Mission has identified eight specific areas for focus. These areas include exploring alternatives to Lithium-Ion storage batteries, adapting electric cookers/pans to align with Indian cooking methods, developing green hydrogen for mobility through high-efficiency fuel cells, advancing carbon capture technologies, harnessing geothermal energy, enhancing solid-state refrigeration systems, utilising nanotechnology for electric vehicle batteries, and promoting indigenous technology for CRGO (Cold-Rolled Grain-Oriented) materials.

The key objectives of the Mission are as follows:

To identify emerging technologies and areas that hold future significance in the global power sector. It will then undertake the indigenous end-to-end development of these technologies.
To establish a common platform for stakeholders within the power sector to engage in collaborative brainstorming and synergistic technology development. It will facilitate the smooth transfer of technology by devising effective pathways.
To provide support to pilot projects involving indigenous technologies, particularly those developed by Indian start-ups. It aims to facilitate their commercialisation and widespread adoption.
To leverage foreign alliances and partnerships to expedite research and development in advanced technologies. It seeks to build competencies, capabilities, and access to advanced technologies through bilateral or multilateral collaborations, promoting knowledge exchange and technology transfer.
To nurture and scale up scientific and industrial research and development efforts within the power sector. It aims to create a vibrant and innovative ecosystem that supports research and development activities.

An Office Memorandum to this effect has been issued. The Mission will be funded by pooling the financial resources of the two ministries and the Central Public Sector Enterprises under them. In case there is a requirement for additional funding, it will be mobilised from the government’s budgetary resources.

The Mission will have a two-tier structure – a Technical Scoping Committee and an Apex Committee. The Technical Scoping Committee (TSC) will identify ongoing and emerging research areas globally, recommend potential technologies for development under the Mission, justify the techno-economic advantages, provide research outlines, and conduct periodic monitoring of approved research projects.

TSC will survey and identify ongoing and emerging areas of research on a global scale and provide recommendations to the Apex Committee regarding potential technologies to be considered for development. The TSC will also carry out periodic monitoring of the approved research projects.

Meanwhile, the Apex Committee will deliberate on the technology and products to be developed and approve the research proposals. It will approve the research proposals, monitor progress, and look into international collaboration.

Once research areas are identified and approved by the Apex Committee, the Mission will invite proposals for outcome-linked funding from companies across the world. The selection of proposals will be based on Quality cum Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) criteria. The Ministries’ organisations may also collaborate with the selected research agency to co-develop the technologies. The intellectual property rights (IPR) of the developed technology will be shared between the government and the research agency.

New Material Boosts Efficiency of Next-Gen Ceramic Fuel Cells

ANSTO has collaborated with scientists from the Tokyo Institute of Technology in studying a promising proton conductor for advanced ceramic fuel cells. Recently published in Communication Materials, a research team led by Prof Masatomo Yashima highlighted the exceptional properties of a newly discovered hexagonal perovskite-related oxide called Ba2LuAlO5.

The material exhibited remarkably high proton conductivity without requiring any additional chemical alterations. Molecular dynamics simulations were employed to uncover the underlying mechanisms behind this phenomenon. These valuable insights could potentially lead to the development of safer and more efficient energy technologies.

Prof Max Avdeev, the Neutron diffraction group manager at ANSTO’s Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering and a co-author of the paper, explained that proton conductors are being considered as an alternative to oxide fuel cells for next-generation fuel cells.

The research team at Tokyo Tech, with whom ANSTO has a longstanding collaboration, successfully discovered and characterised a promising new material. To gain insights into the proton transport mechanism and enhance the material’s conductivity, molecular dynamics simulations were conducted using ANSTO’s computing cluster. This knowledge is crucial for further improvements and the development of new compositions in this field.

Scientists worldwide are actively engaged in the development of energy technologies that are environmentally friendly, safe, and highly efficient. Fuel cells have emerged as a particularly promising solution for generating electricity directly through electrochemical reactions, garnering attention since the 1960s.

Nevertheless, conventional fuel cells based on solid oxides suffer from a significant drawback: they require high operating temperatures, typically exceeding 700 °C. In contrast, protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) utilise specialised ceramics capable of conducting protons instead of oxide anions. This distinctive feature allows PCFCs to operate at substantially lower temperatures, typically ranging from 300 to 600 °C.

However, the current knowledge base includes only a limited number of proton-conducting materials that exhibit reasonable performance.

During their research, the team specifically investigated compounds with a significant number of intrinsic oxygen vacancies when they made the discovery of the new conductor. Through experimental analysis of samples, they observed that this material exhibited remarkable proton conductivity within its bulk at low temperatures, without requiring additional chemical modifications like doping.

By employing molecular dynamics simulations and conducting neutron diffraction measurements, the researchers determined that the oxide had a substantial capacity to absorb water due to its abundant intrinsic oxygen vacancies. The higher water content played a crucial role in enhancing the material’s proton conductivity through various mechanisms.

The electricity market is undergoing a crucial transition, with renewable and clean energy technologies becoming increasingly vital. Australia recognises the significance of innovation in clean energy technology to sustain economic prosperity and contribute to global emission reduction efforts.

The Australian Government is actively supporting clean energy innovation in research, development, demonstration, and deployment. As a participant in Mission Innovation, a global initiative for advancing clean energy technology breakthroughs, Australia is leading the development of a ‘mission’ focused on clean hydrogen. This mission aims to lower hydrogen production and usage costs throughout supply chains.

In addition, the government has invested AU$ 1.4 billion in the development of reliable renewable generation and storage solutions. This investment encompasses various initiatives, including support for the advanced expansion of the Snowy Hydro scheme.

Moreover, funds have been allocated to the construction of the Marinus Link, which is the second interconnector across the Bass Strait. This interconnector is crucial for transforming Tasmania’s ambitious Battery of the Nation vision into a tangible reality.

Logic-Aware Model Transforming Language Understanding

Researchers have developed a logic-aware model that outperforms counterparts 500 times larger in specific language-understanding tasks without human-generated annotations. This model excels in performance while ensuring privacy and robustness, addressing concerns related to the inefficiency and privacy of large AI models.

Although Large Language Models (LLMs) have demonstrated promising abilities in generating language, art, and code, they come with high computational demands, and utilising application programming interfaces for data upload can pose risks to privacy. Smaller models have historically exhibited lesser capabilities, particularly in tasks involving multitasking and weak supervision, than their larger counterparts.

The researchers introduced the concept of “textual entailment” to aid in comprehending various language tasks by these models. In textual entailment, if one sentence (the premise) is true, then it is likely that the other sentence (the hypothesis) is also true. For instance, if the premise states “all cats have tails,” then the theory “a tabby cat has a tail” would be entailed by the premise.

The team’s previous research revealed that this approach, known as an “entailment model,” exhibited less bias than other language models. To leverage this concept, the researchers developed prompts that enable the models to determine if specific information is entailed by a given sentence or phrase across different tasks. This technique enhanced the model’s adaptability to diverse functions without requiring additional training, a phenomenon referred to as zero-shot adaptation.

In the domain of “natural language understanding,” numerous applications rely on discerning the relationship between two text pieces. For instance, in sentiment classification, the statement “I think the movie is good” can be inferred or entailed from a movie review stating, “I like the story and the acting is great,” indicating a positive sentiment. Similarly, in news classification, the topic of a news article can be inferred from its content. For example, the statement “the news article is about sports” can be entailed if the article’s main content reports on an NBA game. The researchers realised that many existing natural language understanding tasks could be reformulated as entailment tasks involving logical inference in natural language.

“Our research focuses on enhancing the capability of computer programs to comprehend and process natural language, which mimics the way humans speak and write,” explains Hongyin Luo, lead author of a new study from MIT CSAIL.

The study introduces entailment models with 350 million parameters that outperform supervised language models with 137 to 175 billion parameters without human-generated labels. This breakthrough can potentially revolutionise AI and machine learning, providing a scalable, reliable, and cost-effective solution for language modelling. Demonstrating the comparable performance of smaller models in language understanding opens avenues for sustainable and privacy-preserving AI technologies.

The model’s performance was enhanced through self-training, learning without human supervision or annotated data. This approach significantly improved results in sentiment analysis, question-answering, and news classification tasks. It surpassed Google’s LaMDA, FLAN, GPT models, and other supervised algorithms in zero-shot capabilities.

The research addresses the challenge of self-training in language models by developing a novel algorithm called ‘SimPLE’ (Simple Pseudo-Label Editing). By reviewing and modifying the initially generated pseudo-labels, the algorithm improves the overall quality of self-generated labels. CSAIL Senior Research Scientist James Glass emphasises that this study introduces an efficient approach for training large language models (LLMs) by framing language understanding tasks as contextual entailment problems and employing a self-training mechanism with pseudo-labelling. It enables the incorporation of substantial amounts of unlabeled text data during training.

“This study demonstrates the feasibility of developing relatively compact language models that excel in benchmark language understanding tasks when compared to models of similar or even larger sizes,” he concludes.

Going Cashless: Vietnamese Consumers Embrace Digital Payments

Around 77% of Vietnamese consumers believe they could go cashless for three days, a survey has revealed. There was a significant increase in the number of respondents who attempted to adopt a cashless approach in 2022. Specifically, 90% made an effort to go cashless at some point during the year, compared to 77% in the previous year.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a transformative impact on consumer behaviour globally, including in Vietnam. There was a notable rise in the usage of card or mobile wallet payments among Vietnamese consumers across all categories when compared to the data from 2021.

It was found that in 2022, 66% of consumers in Vietnam utilised online card payments, while 70% made use of online or in-app mobile wallet payments. This marks a significant surge from the previous year’s figure of 32%. QR payments also experienced substantial growth in usage last year, with 61% of consumers using this method, as compared to 35% in 2021. Virtual banking has also garnered significant interest among Vietnamese consumers, with a striking 90% expressing their inclination toward digital banking services.

There is clear evidence of a gradual shift away from cash, evidenced by the fact that consumers both carried less cash in 2022 and used it for fewer payments. The study identified the two primary reasons for the decline in cash payments. Firstly, consumers expressed concerns about the potential risk of losing or having cash stolen, leading them to opt for alternative payment methods. Secondly, the increased availability and acceptance of cashless payment options by businesses.

The post-COVID era has shed light on evolving consumer behaviour, particularly in the retail sector and overall financial management. New trends have emerged, indicating shifts in consumer spending patterns and approaches to personal finances.

Consumer behaviour in Vietnam during the pandemic has showcased a widespread acceptance of home delivery services, particularly with the convenience of tech-enabled online payment methods prior to receiving the delivery. Approximately 85% of consumers tried home delivery for the first time. Looking ahead, consumers expect a significant portion of their purchases, around 8 out of 10, to be made online and delivered to their homes. As a result, businesses would benefit from offering online payment options and efficient home delivery services to meet these evolving consumer needs.

In the wake of the pandemic, new shopping habits have surfaced among Vietnamese consumers. The study indicates that 64% of consumers have increased their purchases of medicine and vitamins to prioritise their health. Additionally, the same percentage of consumers are engaging in shopping activities through large online marketplaces and supporting home-based businesses. These spending patterns align with the global post-COVID trends, where e-commerce has experienced rapid growth, and a majority of consumers are exploring and adopting new shopping behaviours.

Last month, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) urged banks, foreign bank branches, and intermediaries in payment services to actively support the advancement of cashless transactions and the implementation of the national digital transformation programme.

The move aims to aid the plan on developing the application of resident data and electronic identification and authentication to support the national digital transformation agenda during the period of 2022-2025, with a vision extending to 2030.

June 10, 2023

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PolyU to Launch Three Research Tech Centres

Vietnam, Italy Collaborate on Synthetic Aperture Radar Tech

RMIT University’s Hanoi Industry and Innovation Hub

Singapore-Australia Forge Green and Digital Shipping Corridor

India’s Mission MAHIR Advancing Power Sector Tech

New Material Boosts Efficiency of Next-Gen Ceramic Fuel Cells

Logic-Aware Model Transforming Language Understanding

Going Cashless: Vietnamese Consumers Embrace Digital Payments

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