What do students gain after the Master of Smart City and Innovation Management (MSCIM - UEH) program?
If you are looking for a Master’s program to enhance your expertise in smart cities, urban planning, technology, data, or the environment, or if you aspire to broaden your career opportunities, the Master of Smart City and Innovation Management (MSCIM - UEH) is a choice well worth considering.
Let’s listen to the experiences of two recent graduates from Intake 4 (Class of 2025) to better understand their academic journey and the values this program delivers.
Pursuing a master’s degree and stepping into international research opportunities
For Ms. Võ Giai Hảo, a student from MSCIM Cohort 4, the program became a turning point that helped her expand her perspective from traditional urban planning to a more interdisciplinary approach to solving urban challenges.
Through the program, she was introduced to new methodologies such as design thinking, glocal by design, and root cause analysis. These approaches reshaped how she viewed urban design — no longer focusing solely on physical space, but starting with research and the real needs of communities.
With this foundation, she confidently joined an international design competition on the Cai River heritage corridor, which attracted more than 500 submissions from 50 countries, and won the sponsor’s choice award. She also developed her first research paper, which was later presented at the international Blue Economy Conference. For Ms. Hảo, the greatest value of MSCIM lies in its environment that continuously encourages students to explore, conduct research, and unlock their potential.
Pursuing a master’s degree to transform urban management thinking
For Mr. Nguyễn Trần Phú Thịnh, currently serving as Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Digital Transformation Center, MSCIM brought practical value to his work after many years in public administration.
He shared that the program helped him shift from solving problems based primarily on experience to adopting a more strategic and systematic approach grounded in data, scientific evidence, and long-term sustainable development perspectives.
The knowledge he gained in urban data governance, digital transformation, and smart governance models has been directly applied to the development of shared digital platforms for Ho Chi Minh City, helping optimize operational processes and improve cross-sector collaboration. For Mr. Thịnh, MSCIM not only helps him perform better in his current role but also reshapes his understanding of what a smart city truly means — where technology should ultimately serve people.
What makes the MSCIM learning journey different?
✨ A key highlight of MSCIM is its flexible learning pathways. You can choose the direction that best fits your personal goals:
📍 Standard Track: Full-time study at UEH (2 years), designed to build a solid foundation while effectively balancing academic growth and professional work.
📍 International Exchange Track: 18 months at UEH followed by a 6-month international exchange. This track offers the opportunity to earn a dual degree from one of two prestigious partner universities:
- Handong Global University (South Korea)
- Hasselt University (Belgium)
No matter which pathway you choose, MSCIM aims to develop interdisciplinary thinkers with modern governance capabilities and the ability to shape sustainable urban futures.
💼 Career Opportunities: To hold key positions in both the public and private sectors, acting as specialists or managers with the capacity to directly implement:
- Smart and sustainable urban development projects.
- Digital transformation programs in urban management and operations.
- Innovative solutions and smart technology applications for planning, governance, and the development of cities, local authorities, and regional areas.
⏳ Deadline for online application submission: from 16/4/2026 to 26/4/2026
For further inquiries, please contact:
📞 Hoai Nguyen Pham, PhD – 0706 590 686
📞 Lan Ngoc Hoang, PhD – 0975 696 608