Vietnamese university students win top prize at innovation competition in Singapore

SENBAO, a project representing Foreign Trade University's Ho Chi Minh City campus, won first prize at the Student Innovation Showcase 2026, held as part of the fifth Trans-Pacific Sustainability Dialogue in Singapore on October 25-26.

Outperforming nearly 300 projects to win first prize

Student Innovation Showcase 2026 sought to identify, recognize, and promote innovative solutions to global environmental challenges while encouraging young people to help build a sustainable future.

The program focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12), which promotes responsible consumption and production.

The event was organized by Stanford University's Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center and the Ban Ki-moon Foundation for a Better Future, with Singapore Management University as co-host.

Organizers selected 15 projects to present in Singapore from nearly 300 entries submitted by universities worldwide.

The project representing Foreign Trade University's Ho Chi Minh City branch won first prize after presenting and defending its idea against entries from universities including the National University of Singapore, Stanford University, and Yonsei University.

The team comprises Tran Tin Dung, a marketing management student in a joint program with the University of Northampton in the UK at Foreign Trade University's Ho Chi Minh City branch, who leads the project; Huynh Ngoc Ngan, an international business economics student at the same campus; and Le Ngoc Vy Hao, a student at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology.

The team won over the organizers with its thorough preparation, teamwork, and persuasive presentation and defense of its idea. 

Former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon personally presented the award to the project representative. 

Turning lotus by-products into smart food packaging

SENBAO seeks to turn agricultural by-products into sustainable packaging through a smart food-wrapping film made from lotus by-products that can detect signs of food spoilage.

"Our solution could replace non-biodegradable packaging, help preserve food, improve food safety, and reduce waste. Repurposing lotus by-products also aims to increase the value of agricultural materials and promote a circular economy," team leader Tran Tin Dung said.

The project aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12, which emphasizes responsible resource use and sustainable production practices.

The project was developed under the guidance of Nguyen Thi Huynh Giao, deputy head of communications and external relations and a lecturer in economics and law at Foreign Trade University's Ho Chi Minh City campus.