“Igniting” the entrepreneurial spirit among students

In recent times, many universities and colleges across the province have organized training sessions on knowledge and skills related to innovative entrepreneurship for students. These practical activities play a meaningful role in fostering and spreading the spirit of innovative entrepreneurship among young people from the time they are still in school.

Dr. Nguyen Thanh Tung, Director of the KMi Knowledge Management Institute, conducts a training session on innovative entrepreneurship knowledge and skills for lecturers and students of Dong Nai University. Photo: Collaborator

However, to truly ignite the passion for entrepreneurship and inspire the determination and perseverance needed to pursue this path, such training programs alone are not enough.

Aspiring to start a business, but still hesitant

Those who have embarked on the entrepreneurial path are well aware that it is not a “casual adventure” but a challenging journey that demands serious investment. In addition to gaining knowledge, students who wish to start their own businesses must possess passion and perseverance. In reality, when considering entrepreneurship, most students believe they still lack many of the necessary conditions to begin.

According to Vo Thi Tuong Vi, a Business Administration student at Dong Nai University's Faculty of Economics, the common challenges faced by students seeking to start a business are financial limitations and a lack of clear direction. Many struggle to visualize the necessary steps and often lack guidance or support. “If I were to start a business, the two things I would need most are capital and a companion to support me as someone who can show me a clear path,” Vi said.

For Thach Minh An, an Electronics student at Dong Nai University, the most significant barrier for himself and many young people is timidity. An shared: “Some students are very talented and have many ideas, but they lack the courage to break free from existing frameworks and conventional paths. As a result, they miss opportunities to achieve personal success. It is even more regrettable when that success could have brought benefits to society”.

An added that students are a young force full of creative and innovative ideas. Therefore, having a strong support system, both financially and emotionally, would allow them to innovate more freely. “Students need to be self-directed learners, building their knowledge not only in the classroom but also through everyday life. They must constantly observe and learn to recognize entrepreneurial opportunities in daily life,” An said.

Leveraging technology, innovation, and uniqueness

For many years, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Tung, Director of the KMi Knowledge Management Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, has been a companion to the Dong Nai Provincial Youth Union and universities and colleges across the province in promoting student entrepreneurship.

According to Dr. Tung, university leaders and the Dong Nai Provincial Youth Union have shown great interest in fostering innovative entrepreneurship among students. Thanks to that, students have been able to acquire knowledge and learn methods for starting their own businesses. However, they still need more support.

Drawing from his experience participating in innovative entrepreneurship activities with Dong Nai students, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Tung observed that they are eager to learn, dynamic, and many express a desire to start their own businesses. However, there are still limitations that need to be addressed. The most prominent issue is that while students want to pursue entrepreneurship, many lack a clear understanding of how to do so, often merely replicating existing models in society.

According to Dr. Tung, when starting, students should not rush into action. Instead, they should explore solutions that incorporate technology, innovative approaches, uniqueness, and originality to bring more distinctive products to the market. Training programs and innovative entrepreneurship support within schools can play a crucial role in helping students achieve this goal.

Every year, the school’s Youth Union plans to organize innovative entrepreneurship training sessions for students. However, it must be frankly acknowledged that these activities have not yet achieved real quality and mainly serve to provide students with only a basic introduction to innovative entrepreneurship. I hope that, given Dong Nai’s position as a developed industrial province with the fourth-largest economy in the country, the Dong Nai Provincial Youth Union will strengthen innovative entrepreneurship activities among its members, particularly students, creating more platforms for startups. Special attention should also be given to the two colleges in the former Binh Phuoc province so that their students can participate in these activities more extensively.

LE SY THE, Secretary of the Youth Union of Mien Dong College

Dr. Nguyen Thanh Tung believes that agricultural product processing and food processing are two diverse sectors with vast development potential, making them ideal areas for students to start their entrepreneurial journeys. In particular, these sectors allow students to explore many forms of innovation and face less competition compared to other fields.

Tung stated, “I believe Dong Nai has agricultural, aquatic, and food products that students can build upon to create added value. This could become a distinctive highlight in Dong Nai students’ innovative startup movement”.

The involvement of experts and businesses in encouraging and supporting student entrepreneurship is essential. At the same time, innovative startup competitions help uncover unique ideas and new directions, not only in product development but also in expanding service offerings.

Particularly under the province’s two-tier local government model, innovative entrepreneurship activities should be connected with communes and wards to gradually build a sustainable innovation and startup ecosystem. To achieve this, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Tung emphasized the need for coordination and leadership from the Departments of Science and Technology, Education and Training, Agriculture, and Environment.

“If you truly have the desire to start a business, then pursue it with burning passion and constant practice because entrepreneurship is never easy. It’s also important to distinguish between a genuine passion for entrepreneurship and the pursuit of material gain, power, or status. Only with true passion can you have the perseverance to go all the way”.

 Dr. Nguyen Thanh Tung, Director of KMi Knowledge Management Institute

For universities and colleges, there needs to be strong collaboration among faculties and majors within each institution to leverage the strengths of each. Furthermore, connections between different universities and colleges should be expanded so that “separate pieces” can come together to create unique startup products.

According to experts, the Enterprise Semester model should be developed to allow students to engage directly with businesses and learn from real-world experiences. In return, companies should collaborate with schools to help train students. This reciprocal approach enables students to generate ideas that directly contribute to business development, such as product improvements, new concepts, and innovative solutions.

By Hai Yen – Translated by Dang Huyen, Minho