Continuing the journey that began with awakening the foundational value of “Unity – Compassion,” the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) has entered the next chapter, centered on “Dedication and Community” – two values that have steadfastly shaped UEH’s identity and standing throughout half a century of development.
If “Unity – Compassion” was the foundation in the early years, then “Dedication – Community” has been the driving force behind UEH’s continuous growth. It is the dedication of generations of lecturers to knowledge, the commitment of staff and employees to the university’s operations and development, and the community spirit of more than 280,000 alumni, partners, and learners across generations.
It is precisely the synergy between individual dedication and community connection that has created UEH’s inner strength, enabling the University not only to fulfill its educational mission but also to steadily affirm its pioneering role in education, research, and social service.
That spirit is now embodied through a series of multi-generational activities throughout 2026, where each experience is not only a commemorative milestone, but also a space for people to meet, share, and co-create the future.
Awakening the inner strength of “Dedication – Community” through a series of multi-generational connection activities
*Pride strength – UEH Youth Festival 2026 “Embracing Creative Energy”
Launching the series of activities connecting the UEH community, UEH Youth Festival 2026 gathers approximately 6,000–8,000 students at Suoi Tien Cultural Tourist Area, featuring a vibrant campsite space rich in youthful identity. Students will take part in many highlight activities such as opening performances, Color Me Run, EDM, water festival, the UEH 50-Year Heritage exhibition, the mini show “Proud of UEH,” acoustic shows, team-building, flash mobs, as well as sustainability-oriented activities such as Green Games, Green Fashion Show, and the UEH Green Campus experience.
A highlight of the program is the celebration of the 95th anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, featuring the recognition of outstanding Youth Union–Student Association officers and the kick-off ceremony for the series of activities toward UEH’s 50th anniversary. More than just a youth playground, UEH Youth Festival 2026 also spreads the pioneering, creative, and community-responsible spirit of UEH students today.
*Youthful strength – UEH Student Sports Festival 2026 “Embracing Youth Power”
Taking place from January to December 2026, the UEH Student Sports Festival is a key activity celebrating UEH’s 50th anniversary, aiming to build a professional and healthy school sports environment and spread the spirit of fair play, discipline, and responsibility among the student community.
The program brings together many sports such as tug of war, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, pickleball, and e-sports, organized in two phases throughout the year and concluded in November.
The highlight is UEH League – the men’s and women’s football tournaments, each featuring 10 teams, competing in a group stage and knockout format. Beyond promoting sustainable student sports movements, UEH League also helps strengthen connections among academic units, promote gender equality in sports, and select core players for UEH teams participating in citywide and national competitions.
*Sharing strength – UEH Run Half Marathon 2026 “Embracing Our Future”
UEH Run Half Marathon 2026 is organized as a major half-marathon event, expected to take place at Sala Urban Area with around 4,000 runners. The event brings together students, lecturers, staff, alumni, partner businesses, and the sports-loving community, creating a multi-generational space for movement and connection.
The race includes three distances symbolizing the different layers of values in UEH’s journey: 5KM – Heritage of Knowledge, 10KM – Heritage of People, and 21KM – Heritage of the Future. Each distance represents a distinct touchpoint, from the mission of nation-building through knowledge, to the philosophy of people-centered development, and the aspiration to move toward a sustainable future with the community. Beyond competition, the program is expanded into a UEH 50-year experience space, with exhibition and interactive zones such as Green Zone, Giving Zone, Alumni Zone, along with entertainment spaces for the runner community.
In particular, through the Giving To UEH fundraising goal, all revenue after costs, together with contributions from businesses and runners, will be directed toward education development activities, scholarships, campus facilities, academic resources, and sustainable projects at UEH.
*Generational strength – Alumni Day 2026 “Embracing Lifelong Bonds”
UEH Alumni Day 2026 is designed as a journey “home,” where generations of UEH alumni gather to relive youthful memories and reconnect with the community that once accompanied them. More than just a reunion, the program also evokes a sense of “belonging to UEH” – belonging to a network of knowledge and values that accompany each individual throughout their personal growth.
Through the Homecoming Series, UEH is gradually forming Alumni Chapters by cohort, major, faculty, and graduation year, building a sustainable connection system between alumni and the University.
A highlight of the program is the “Memories & Movements” space, recreating UEH’s 50-year development journey alongside the youthful memories of many generations of students. Alumni will also join Campus Tours, class/year reunions, and connect with the global UEH Alumni network. Through this, UEH continues to maintain a long-lasting and profound bond among generations of UEHers.
*Spreading strength – UEH Alumni Sports Week “Embracing Active Legacy”
The Sports Week celebrating UEH’s 50th anniversary is organized as a gathering space for the energy of the alumni community. Throughout the week, UEHers will come together for a series of tournaments in Golf, Football, Pickleball, and Badminton – creating a vibrant atmosphere filled with the spirit of competition, exchange, and connection.
Beyond sports, the program expands into a community networking forum through the UEH Alumni Conference – where generations of alumni meet, share professional experiences, and explore new opportunities for collaboration. The series of activities concludes with a Gala Dinner and the UEH Alumni Awards ceremony, honoring individuals and collectives who have made outstanding contributions to both the community and the University.
With a goal of attracting approximately 1,000 alumni across 04 official tournaments, the program aims to build a connected, dynamic UEHer community that walks alongside UEH on its journey of sustainable development.
*Identity strength – UEH Student Arts Festival 2026 “Embracing Artistic Spirit”
The UEH Student Arts Festival 2026 is a healthy and creative artistic playground for students across all years, levels, and training programs, contributing to the realization of holistic education goals within a university environment.
Over 4 days of performances at Hall A.116, faculties, institutes, and dormitories will bring a rich variety of acts to the stage, from duets, trios, and group vocals to choral ensembles, dance, musical dance performances, and instrumental showcases – all revolving around the theme of UEH identity, woven into the 50-year journey of the University’s formation and development.
More than just a student stage, the festival is also an opportunity to discover and nurture outstanding performances and voices to join the UEH student arts team, serving major University events and citywide and national competitions.
*Emotional strength – UEH Concert 2026 “Embracing Shared Emotions”
Closing the 50th anniversary celebration series, UEH Concert 2026 is a large-scale music festival that serves as a bridge connecting generations of UEHers. The program opens with a formal ceremony and a documentary recounting UEH’s half-century-long development journey, followed by a series of artistic performances specially staged for this milestone.
The highlight of the concert night is the 50th anniversary moment, where the UEH community reflects on the journey so far and looks toward the future. The stage will feature many UEH alumni artists such as MTV, Pham Khanh Ngoc, Ong Cao Thang, Jun Pham, DTAP, and HIEUTHUHAI.
Not only an entertainment event, UEH Concert 2026 is also a space of emotions, memories, and pride, where all UEHers come together to honor the 50-year journey and continue moving toward the future.
Join in, experience, and spread the UEH spirit through the series of 22 activities of “Embracing Our Legacy,” so that each individual imprint becomes part of the shared journey – a journey that continues 50 years of legacy and opens new paths ahead.
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Half a century has passed. From a book of knowledge with a nation-building mission in 1976 to today, UEH has grown into one of the leading universities in Asia. This is the journey of 8 heritage values that form UEH’s internal strength, preserved and transformed across generations of UEHers. From Unity – Compassion, which laid the foundation in the early years; Dedication – Community – Pioneering, which shaped today’s identity and standing; to Creation – Sustainability – Internationalization, which opens up the vision for the future. These 8 values crystallize into a heritage of internal strength, connecting the past, present, and aspirations, and continuing to guide UEH in co-creating the future. Stay tuned for UEH’s 50th anniversary celebration event: UEH Grand Anniversary “Embracing Future Together” On October 27, 2026, at A.116 Hall and livestreamed on UEH’s media and social media platforms.
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News, images: UEH50 Organizing Committee