The University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) has officially launched an ArtTech Fusion Hub (ATFH), which will connect technology and arts communities for sustainable development. ATFH will create a network connecting universities, experts, governments, businesses, and domestic and international management agencies to resolve social issues relating to urban and industrial development based on technology and art.
It is expected to become an internationally integrated platform. It will also bring together a community of scientists, researchers, and domestic and foreign experts to discuss, consult, research, and spread knowledge and innovation tools to solve societal problems.
The hub will organise short courses and training programmes in the fields of media, fashion, ArtTech, and design. It will also host ArtTech events like academic exchanges and aid professional development towards supporting startups and small-and medium-sized enterprises.
Its activities will revolve around media, technology, art, and design. Specific fields include gamification, motion tracking, digital entertainment, hybrid events, metaverse, virtual humans, sustainable materials, NFTs, visual art, interactive art, digital art, robotics art, user experience (UX), user interface (UI), visual effects (VFX), and urban simulation.
Sustainable development brings a better quality of life and requires the participation and contribution of the entire community. In the fourth industrial revolution era, technology, art, and design are important bases for socioeconomic growth. Therefore, sustainable development must be based on technology combined with art and culture to balance material and spiritual factors, thereby improving the quality of life comprehensively.
The President of UEH, Su Dinh Thanh, explained that ATFH will be a gathering place for communities of scientists, educators, and artists to create changes and inspire art toward sustainable development. The hub will perform three main functions, including education and training, research and development, and networking.
The ATFH network has attracted the attention and participation of many strategic partners such as the Republic of Korea’s Ulsan City Art Museum, the SeoCho district, the University of Seoul, the Vietnam News Agency, the Vietnam Startup Club, and the HCM City Photography Association.
Attending the hub’s launching ceremony, Suh Jun Suk, the Director of the Ulsan Art Museum, said the future society is not solely based on the development of technology but must be based on the harmony, interaction, and unity between humans, machines, and nature. This poses a requirement for future generations of young people to grasp and master technology, use technology as a driving force for development, use art to nurture spiritual values, and thereby work together towards sustainable development.
By 2025, ATFH will implement a comprehensive development plan for education, research, and networking. It will launch several projects, including “Smart Living – changing lifestyles to action for sustainability through the ArtTechLens”, “Emerging Media – technology is the key to open the door to the future”, “ArtTech for Community: application and breakthrough”, and “Sustainable ArtTech towards a prosperous society.”
Through the hub, UEH aims to further promote the role of universities and hubs to connect multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary knowledge. It intends to link together resources, spread positive values, and contribute to the sustainable development of the community.
