Savvycom Joins the Education Cooperation & Talent Development Panel at the Swiss-Viet Economic Forum Hanoi 2026

The Swiss-Viet Economic Forum (SVEF), together with the Embassy of Switzerland in Vietnam, convened the Swiss-Viet Economic Forum Hanoi 2026 shortly after the signing of the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), with the aim of turning the agreement into concrete opportunities for cooperation. Human resource development was one of four priority areas Vietnam set out at the forum, alongside manufacturing, the energy transition and the digital economy. 

At the forum, Ms. Van Dang, Founder and CEO of Savvycom, joined the panel “Education Cooperation & Talent Development,” which examined how universities and employers can work together to prepare talent for the AI era. The session opened with a keynote by Dr. Marcus Wittner, Founding Partner of Contagi Group, and was moderated by Mr. An Mai, Chairman of IMT Solutions. Fellow panelists were Mr. Anatolijus Fouracre, CEO of SPS Viet Nam; Dr. Hoang Viet Ha, President of FPT University; Mr. Nguyen Van Hanh, Country Representative of The Dariu Foundation; and Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Bich, Manager, Marketing & Corporate Affairs at Manpower. Mr. Ivo Sieber, former Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam and Vice President of SVEF, attended the session, which closed with practical directions for Swiss-Vietnamese cooperation in talent development. 

Overview of the “Education Cooperation & Talent Development” panel

AI Makes the Gap Between Classroom and Industry More Visible 

Drawing on Savvycom’s experience serving international clients and hiring engineers, Ms. Van Dang noted that the gap between university education and employer expectations was already significant, and that AI has made it more visible. Universities typically train engineers to master the technical side: they know how to solve a problem and which technical solution works best. Businesses need engineers who start one step earlier, confirming that the problem actually exists by asking clients enough questions to find the real pain point. 

“We can build a beautiful product, but when we go to the market, the market may just need one or some features.” 

Ms. Van Dang, Founder and CEO, Savvycom 

Dr. Marcus Wittner made a similar point in his keynote. In his view, AI raises the bar for both digital and human capability: alongside AI, data and technology literacy, people need to use tools safely and critically, solve problems as work changes, and communicate and collaborate across cultures. 

The gap that universities and businesses need to close together, Ms. Van Dang argued, is therefore not only about technical solutions but about understanding the business problem. The ability to grasp context and business value is becoming increasingly important. 

Ms. Van Dang, Founder and CEO of Savvycom, speaking on the panel

Mentoring Is Not Only for Young Talent 

In the AI era, each generation brings a different strength. Young professionals are fluent with AI tools, while experienced colleagues understand the business problem. According to Ms. Van Dang, when the two mentor each other, each person learns while also guiding others in the skills they know best, and the business solves problems more effectively. 

The need for mentoring does not stop at students or junior staff. At senior and executive levels, learning from people in other organizations is just as necessary for a business to keep growing. 

“Even at the C-level, in many companies here, we need mentors as well, so we can go up to the next level.” 

Ms. Van Dang, Founder and CEO, Savvycom 

Building on this, Savvycom proposed mentoring programs between Swiss and Vietnamese organizations. The idea was also one of the directions the panel converged on: Swiss experts can share knowledge with and mentor not only young talent but also the leadership teams of Vietnamese businesses. 

Swiss-Vietnamese Education Cooperation Needs Concrete Programs 

Beyond mentoring, the discussion pointed to two further directions: partnerships between Swiss and Vietnamese universities in MBA and postgraduate education, and Swiss experience in supporting career guidance for learners. 

These directions align with the SVEF Education and Talent Initiative, which aims to lay the foundations for the next decade of cooperation between Switzerland and Vietnam now that the free trade agreement has been signed. 

About Savvycom 

Established in 2009, Savvycom is an AI-driven technology company serving international markets. We provide AI and digital transformation solutions for enterprises in the banking and finance, healthcare, education, manufacturing and retail sectors. 

To learn more about Savvycom’s software development and digital transformation services, visit savvycomsoftware.com. For information on its AI solutions, visit savvycom.ai.