Two big fashion brands have collaborated with the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) at Fulbright University Vietnam to implement the first batch of the Industry Lab program.
Industry Lab is one of many activities initiated by CEI with the aim of building a strong connection between Fulbright and corporations, companies, and businesses in different fields and industries in Vietnam. The program not only provides opportunities for students to gain practical experience, develop their skills and career prospects based on the “learning by experience” spirit at Fulbright, but also brings new ideas, solutions, and initiatives proposed by Fulbright students to help businesses creatively and effectively address their challenges.
Representatives of Fulbright and May10 at the lauching event of the Industry Lab program
With a focus on the fashion and textile industry in Vietnam, the first batch of Industry Lab has attracted not only second and third-year students pursuing diverse majors at Fulbright such as Economics, Computer Science, History, Psychology, and Applied Mathematics, but also first-year students ever curious and willing to try their hands at opportunities and gain experience outside the classroom. In addition, Industry Lab also welcomes students from other universities. Two students from the Foreign Trade University in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi also participated in this program.
Students participating in Industry Lab with representatives from Uniqlo
Along with the opportunity to meet and work directly with leaders and managers representing May10 and Uniqlo, students participating in the first batch of Industry Lab also received dedicated support, training, mentoring and guidance from four experts:
– Ms. Nguyen Dang Tuan Minh, author of the book “Innovation and Creativity Entrepreneurship – Thinking and Tools” (2017). In 2018, she was selected by the US Department of State as one of 16 female leaders from 13 countries around the world to participate in The Fortune – US Department of State Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership program.
– Mr. Nguyen Phu Cuong, CEO of C+P Asia Consulting Company with 10 years of experience in marketing for local and international brands such as Biti’s, Samsung Vina, Suntory PepsiCo.
– Mr. Vu Quan Nguyen Masse, ASEAN Deputy General Director of Culture and Branding at Vero, with 16 years of experience in fashion and marketing industries working with Cartier International, Runway Vietnam, Nire Ups.
– Ms. Phan Hoang Lan, Head of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Fulbright and one of the main authors of the National Project to support the innovative and creative entrepreneurship ecosystem in Vietnam by 2025.
Mr. Vu Quan Nguyen Masse (first row, fourth from right) with Fulbright students
Thanks to these experts, students were equipped with specialized knowledge about branding and marketing in the fashion industry, as well as practical tools to help them dig deeper and thoroughly analyze the market, conduct field research and customer surveys, come up with solutions and test them to see whether they can effectively solve the business challenges briefed and proposed by Uniqlo and May10.
Despite not majoring in Marketing or Fashion, students from various fields of study have acquired, mastered, and smartly applied innovative thinking methods when participating in the Industry Lab program. They proactively sought new interdisciplinary perspectives, willing to remove personal assumptions if the results from their research and survey reflected a different reality, thereby adjusting, continuously experimenting, and improving initiatives in a flexible manner to come up with the most suitable and viable answers to the issues at hand. This is doubtless valuable knowledge and experience that students can learn from, and employ, regardless of the field or industry they choose work in the future.
Students’ fieldtrip at May10 store
Students discussing after visiting a Uniqlo store
The 11 students participating in the program were divided into 2 groups, each responsible for the challenge of “Enhancing the customer experience when shopping and using May10’s men’s shirts,” and “Developing marketing activities to raise awareness and interest of Gen Z about sustainable fashion product lines of Uniqlo in Ho Chi Minh City”.
Students’ presentation with Uniqlo
They have worked hard together for in a short span of 3 weeks to build confident and persuasive presentations for representatives of the two brands, in which refreshing, but also innovative and pragmatic ideas were proposed and warmly received with insightful and constructive feedback by Uniqlo and May10.
With the Industry Lab program, Fulbright students have demonstrated their ability, creativity and willingness to learn, to listen and innovate together with businesses outside the classroom. But above all, theirs are ideas that stem from a spirit of youthful enthusiasm, from their open hearts for innovativeness, and the desire to contribute to society and transform their community through impactful projects and innitatives.
