On April 8, 2026, the Vietnam–Russia Economic Forum 2026 (VREF 2026), themed “Unleashing internal strength in the new era,” was held in Hanoi. Representatives of Saint Petersburg State University of Economics (UNECON), including Vice-Rector for Social and Discipline Affairs Sergey Grishin and Associate Professors Stanislav Babich (Department of Regional Economics and Environmental Management), Yana Salikhova (Department of Marketing), and Anastasia Nesterova (Department of Accounting and Financial Analysis), took part in the event.
Ahead of the forum, on April 7, the UNECON delegation visited Phenikaa University, where the parties signed a cooperation agreement and outlined priorities for future collaboration.
On April 8, UNECON representatives participated in a working meeting of the Consortium of Russian–Vietnamese Economic Universities at Banking Academy of Vietnam. The meeting reviewed the results of joint activities over the past two and a half years. In his remarks, Sergey Grishin highlighted a number of UNECON initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation with Vietnamese partners, including the InteRussia international internship program in energy economics, the Youth Day of the St. Petersburg International Gas Forum, the Professional Dialogue program in business Russian, and the upcoming Vietnam Economy Day scheduled for May 18, 2026.
Later that day, the delegation joined the main sessions of the forum, marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Vietnam. The event served as an important platform for dialogue on economic development and bilateral cooperation.
Within the forum program, Stanislav Babich presented a report on innovative approaches to food markets, energy resources, and transport security in the Global South. Yana Salikhova and Anastasia Nesterova delivered a joint presentation on cultural intelligence, focusing on case studies of successful and unsuccessful market entry strategies.
On April 9, the UNECON delegation took part in the Student Festival of Culture and Sports of the Consortium at Hanoi University of Finance and Banking, and also met with members of the Association of Vietnamese Alumni of UNECON.
The visit finished on April 10 with the signing of a cooperation agreement with Hanoi University of Science and Technology.
Vietnam is one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia, and the further development of Russian–Vietnamese cooperation is closely linked to active engagement between universities. UNECON continues to contribute to this process, supported by a strong alumni network that facilitates academic and professional connections. A large international alumni congress is scheduled to take place in Hanoi in November 2026.
