On the afternoon of July 18, 2026, in Ha Long – Quang Ninh, within the framework of the 15th International Conference on Information Technology and Its Applications (CITA 2026), Vietnam – Korea University of Information and Communication Technology (VKU), The University of Danang, in coordination with the ASEAN Consortium for Innovation and Research (ACIR), organized the 4th Forum on Connecting and Developing the Network of Southeast Asian and International University Leaders and Scholars (ACIR+ 2026) with the theme “Promoting Cooperation in Scientific Research, Innovation and CITA-Globalization”.

Forum Overview

Organized alongside CITA 2026 – an event marking 15 years of formation and development of the CITA International Conference series – ACIR+ 2026 continues to affirm its role as a strategic forum connecting university leaders, scientists, and international partners to enhance research cooperation, foster innovation, digital transformation, and the internationalization of higher education, aiming towards building a sustainable academic ecosystem in Southeast Asia and worldwide.

Attending the ACIR+ 2026 forum, Assoc.Prof.Dr. Huynh Cong Phap – Rector of Vietnam – Korea University of Information and Communication Technology (VKU), The University of Danang, chaired the forum; Prof.Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Thanh – Wroclaw University of Science and Technology (Poland), co-chaired the forum; Prof.Dr. Vu Van Truong – Vice President of Phenikaa University; Prof.Dr. Somrerk Chandra-ambhorn – Vice President of King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUTNB), Thailand. Also attending were Prof.Dr. Tran Xuan Tu – Director of the Information Technology Institute, Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Dr. Huynh Ngoc Tho – Vice Rector of VKU; along with leaders of ACIR member universities, professors, scientists, and experts from Vietnam, Poland, Ireland, Luxembourg, South Korea, Thailand, China, and many other nations.

Assoc.Prof.Dr. Huynh Cong Phap Delivers Opening Remarks

Delivering the opening address at the Forum, Assoc.Prof.Dr. Huynh Cong Phap emphasized that ACIR was formed from the aspiration to build an open academic cooperation community where universities share knowledge, connect resources, and create shared values through scientific research, innovation, and technology transfer. In the context of a world shifting rapidly under the impact of artificial intelligence, big data, semiconductor technology, and digital transformation, no university can achieve sustainable development operating in isolation. Therefore, international cooperation, interdisciplinary research, and linkages among universities, enterprises, and research organizations are essential trends for elevating training quality and research capacity.

Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Thanh Delivers Speech

After more than three years of formation and development, ACIR has gradually become a prestigious academic cooperation network with the participation of numerous international universities, research institutes, and scientists. From this cooperative foundation, many initiatives have been effectively implemented, such as the CITA, ICTA, ISDS, SeMI, and DeFi international scientific conference series; joint research programs; doctoral and postdoctoral training; semiconductor integrated circuit design training courses; international faculty, student exchange, and internship programs; while successfully initiating the ASEAN Student Workshop on Research and Innovation (AWRIS) and the ASEAN Program for Incubation of Innovative Startup Ideas (APISI). These serve as clear evidence of the effectiveness of the multilateral cooperation model that ACIR aims to achieve.

Holding ACIR+ 2026 within the framework of CITA 2026 carries a very special significance. After 15 years of development, CITA is not only a forum for publishing new scientific research results but has also become an academic bridge connecting universities, research institutes, and enterprises internationally. This year’s ACIR+ Forum continues to set the goal of constructing the “CITA-Globalization” strategy, aiming to expand the scale of cooperation, raise academic quality, and step-by-step elevate CITA into a scientific forum with increasingly deep and broad influence in the region and across the world.

Keynote Presentation “Women in AI Security” Presented by Assoc.Prof.Dr. Le Khac Nhien An

Within the program framework, delegates listened to a keynote presentation titled “Women in AI Security” presented by Assoc.Prof.Dr. Le Khac Nhien An – UCD (University College Dublin, Ireland). The report brought many fresh perspectives on development trends in artificial intelligence security, while emphasizing the role of diversity in scientific research and the development of safe, responsible AI technologies.

Numerous Orientation Ideas Exchanged at the Forum

The highlight of the Forum was the panel discussion session titled “New Ideas for ACIR Activities in Scientific Research, Innovation and CITA-Globalization”, moderated by Prof.Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Thanh, Assoc.Prof.Dr. Huynh Cong Phap, Prof.Dr. Vu Van Truong, and Prof.Dr. Somrerk Chandra-ambhorn. Here, scientists and university leaders exchanged many important orientations to expand the ACIR member network; strengthen international research groups; promote high-quality scientific publications; develop exchange programs for faculty, students, and scholars; and expand cooperation in cutting-edge technological fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, cybersecurity, big data, and digital transformation.

Awarding the 15-Year CITA Commemorative Medal to Experts and Scientists

One of the topics receiving high consensus was the orientation toward CITA internationalization by expanding the participation of leading universities, research institutes, and experts worldwide; strengthening cooperation with prestigious international publishers and scientific journals; and incrementally enhancing the academic quality and standing of the Conference on the global research map. This is considered an inevitable step of development following CITA’s 15-year journey of construction and growth.

Building upon the achieved results, ACIR+ 2026 continues to affirm VKU’s role in creating and leading international academic cooperation networks. Beyond accompanying CITA’s 15-year milestone, the Forum opens up numerous new cooperative opportunities among universities, research institutes, and enterprises, contributing to building an ecosystem for research, innovation, and high-quality human resource training, making practical contributions to the development of higher education in Vietnam and the Southeast Asian region in the digital era.

VKU Media

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