Hanoi, Australia exchange governance insights, serving a 100-year vision

At the Hanoi 2026 Dialogue, jointly organized by the Smart and Sustainable Cities Hub (SSC Hub), RMIT Viet Nam, and the Australia-Viet Nam Policy Institute (AVPI), policymakers, experts, research institutes, universities, and businesses shared experiences and proposed a range of solutions to advance sustainable urban development, green transition, and smart governance.

The event took place as Hanoi had recently approved its Capital Master Plan with a 100-year vision, aiming to develop into a smart, globally integrated city while effectively addressing key challenges such as air pollution, traffic congestion, industrial emissions, and climate change adaptation.

In his opening remarks, Professor Scott Thompson-Whiteside, President and Vice-Chancellor of RMIT Viet Nam, emphasized the importance of collaboration among government agencies, universities, businesses, and international partners through knowledge sharing, the development of effective governance models, and stronger practical cooperation.

He noted that Australia's experience in long-term urban planning, smart governance, and sustainable infrastructure development could help Ha Noi formulate initiatives and policy recommendations suited to its next stage of development.

The discussion sessions covered a wide range of topics, including improving urban quality of life, advancing green development, accelerating industrial transformation, and fostering innovation ecosystems. Participants agreed that effective governance is the key to translating long-term visions into tangible outcomes.

Professor Jago Dodson and Professor Nguyen Quang Trung, Co-Directors of the Smart and Sustainable Cities Hub (SSC Hub), observed that Hanoi's greatest challenge in the coming years will not only be sustaining economic growth but also strengthening its capacity to govern an increasingly complex urban environment.

"As cities expand, development outcomes depend on the ability to coordinate land-use planning, transport, climate adaptation, data management, and public service delivery across multiple levels of government. Therefore, alongside infrastructure investment, cities must also build a workforce of professionals capable of planning and managing urban development," Professor Dodson said.

The experts also stressed that technology alone is not the determining factor in building successful smart cities. According to Professor Nguyen Quang Trung, many cities around the world are investing in artificial intelligence (AI), digital twins, and urban data platforms. However, these technologies can only deliver their full potential when supported by an appropriate legal framework, standardized data systems, skilled personnel, and transparent governance mechanisms. In this regard, Hanoi's efforts to strengthen digital governance, improve data management, and enhance institutional capacity are laying an important foundation for achieving its long-term development goals.

"Smart technology is a means, while sustainability is the ultimate goal. Cities can adopt and deploy new technologies relatively quickly, but building resilient transport systems, inclusive communities, and low-emission urban environments requires long-term investment and sustained political commitment," he said.

Drawing on international experience, the experts highlighted the development models of Copenhagen, Melbourne, and Tokyo - cities consistently ranked among the world's most livable. Despite their different contexts, they share common strengths in long-term planning, integrated governance, and active community participation.

"For Hanoi, the priority is not to replicate the models of other cities, but to learn from their experiences and draw inspiration to develop an approach to urban planning and governance that reflects Ha Noi's own conditions, needs, and long-term aspirations," Professor Dodson said.