RMIT sparks ideas for a greener Vietnam among high school students

This annual competition, initiated by The Business School at RMIT Vietnam, aims to encourage high school students across the country to embrace creativity and envision a technologically advanced and sustainable future.

Since its launch in 2023, RBPC has established itself as a prestigious English-language competition for high schoolers. This year, the organisers received more than 250 applications from 940 students across the country.

Participants were tasked with developing business plans for real companies operating in one of these four industries:​ services, tourism and hospitality, banking and finance​, or manufacturing​. They were required to develop creative solutions or business models using innovative technologies such as blockchain​, fintech​, artificial intelligence​, big data, and machine learning.

The grand finale took place on 10 November at RMIT’s Saigon South campus, where five outstanding teams from high schools in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Nam Dinh, and Hai Duong competed for the champion title.

The teams presented their proposals and answered questions from a panel of domestic and international experts. They were evaluated based on their problem-solving approach, presentation skills, creativity and originality, as well as other criteria such as the market potential, and social and environmental impact of the pitches.

Team ECONVISIONARIES consisting of four students from Wellspring Saigon International Bilingual School took home the champion title with their proposal to transform agricultural waste and food waste into bio-fertilisers and bio-diesel, thus supporting a circular economy.

Their idea incorporates AI applications into several processes, such as the waste analysis and sorting, and process optimisation through smart adjustments of temperature, pressure, moisture, and other indicators.

ECONVISIONARIES’ business proposal specifically targets WinEco, one of the biggest vegetable suppliers for the retail sector in Vietnam. However, the team said that they would like to spread their idea to many more businesses, with the goal of mobilising joint efforts to build a green and clean society.

The first runner-up title went to JJCT Consulting with the idea to promote eco-friendly hotel practices by applying smart technologies to monitor energy and water usage. The second runner-up went to Minions Dollar with their initiatives to reduce plastic use in coffee chains across Vietnam.

According to the organisers, RBPC’s mission is to provide young people with opportunities to showcase their ideas and gain valuable skills and experience from world-class experts.

Over the two-month competition, teams had the opportunity to participate in workshops led by business leaders, seasoned professionals, and academics. They gained valuable soft skills in research, teamwork, and English presentation, and could consult mentors to improve their ideas.

“At RMIT, we believe in empowering the next generation of innovators to think beyond traditional business models,” said Professor Robert McClelland, Dean of The Business School at RMIT Vietnam.

“Our vision for this competition is to provide a platform for young minds to engage in creative problem-solving, address real-world environmental challenges, and develop the skills necessary to make an impact.” 

This year's competition was co-organised by the RMIT Tourism and Hospitality Club (Saigon South campus) and supported by in-kind sponsors Mondelez, Wärtsilä, VinAI, and Buymed.

Follow the competition at: https://www.facebook.com/rmit.rbpc.

Story: Ngoc Hoang, Thuy Vu