On September 4, 2026, the sounds of flutes, string instruments, drums, and other traditional instruments filled the campus of the University of Information Technology, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (UIT), as the school-based traditional music program “Dệt Thanh Âm Việt” (Weaving the Sounds of Vietnam) came to life.
Held at the beginning of the new academic year, the program offered UIT students a distinctive cultural experience while contributing to the implementation of the spirit of Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW of the Politburo on the development of Vietnamese culture: fostering the holistic development of individuals, creating a human-centered cultural environment in educational institutions, and bringing arts and cultural heritage closer to younger generations.
LETTING TRADITIONAL MUSIC BECOME A NATURAL PART OF STUDENT LIFE
At a university often associated with lines of code, artificial intelligence, data, and emerging technologies, “Dệt Thanh Âm Việt” brought a different rhythm to campus.
Within the familiar surroundings of UIT, students had the opportunity to listen to traditional melodies, observe musical instruments up close, and discover how artists bring each distinctive sound to life.
What made the program special was not simply the presence of traditional music on a university campus, but the way cultural heritage was introduced through an engaging and accessible experience for young people. Curiosity sparked by an unfamiliar instrument, a melody, or a performance technique could become the starting point for students to discover and better understand values passed down through generations.
In this way, culture extends beyond textbooks and exhibition spaces. It can be experienced firsthand, woven naturally into campus life, and sustained through the curiosity and appreciation of younger generations.
FROM THE SPIRIT OF RESOLUTION NO. 80-NQ/TW TO MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES ON CAMPUS
Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW of the Politburo on the development of Vietnamese culture identifies culture and human development as a foundation, an important endogenous resource, and a driving force for the country’s rapid and sustainable development.
The Resolution also emphasizes the importance of fostering healthy cultural environments across families, schools, society, and digital spaces; promoting the comprehensive development of Vietnamese people in ethics, intellect, physical well-being, and aesthetics; strengthening arts education in educational institutions; and creating opportunities for students to regularly engage in artistic activities and cultural heritage education.
Inspired by this vision, “Dệt Thanh Âm Việt” goes beyond a traditional music performance. It translates broader directions for cultural development into a tangible and engaging university experience, giving students opportunities to encounter traditional arts, deepen their understanding of Vietnamese cultural identity, and cultivate an appreciation for preserving the nation’s cultural heritage.
A TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY WHERE THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE GOES BEYOND TECHNOLOGY
As a higher education institution specializing in information and communication technology education and research, UIT is closely associated with science, innovation, and the technologies shaping the future. Yet a meaningful university journey is built on more than classrooms, computer labs, and research facilities.
A holistic educational environment also creates opportunities for students to enrich their inner lives, develop cultural appreciation, broaden their understanding of society, and recognize the values they inherit from previous generations.
“Dệt Thanh Âm Việt” therefore becomes another meaningful part of the UIT student experience. Between classes in algorithms, artificial intelligence, data science, and computer engineering, students can also pause to listen to the sounds of traditional instruments, discover the stories behind them, and experience Vietnamese culture from a different perspective.
Technology and culture are not separate paths. Together, they can help shape a generation capable of mastering emerging technologies while remaining connected to and appreciative of the cultural values that define their identity.
WHEN TRADITION IS CARRIED FORWARD BY A NEW GENERATION
Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW emphasizes the need to harmonize tradition and modernity, national identity and international integration, preservation and development. It also recognizes the role of science, technology, and innovation in creating new spaces for cultural development. Within a technology university, this opens up even greater possibilities.
Today’s students are not merely recipients of culture. Equipped with knowledge of technology, data, digital communications, design, and artificial intelligence, young people can become creators who bring traditional values to wider audiences in new ways.
A traditional melody can be reimagined through a digital product. A traditional musical instrument can be introduced through interactive technology. A cultural story can reach millions through digital platforms.
Creating opportunities for students to encounter, understand, and appreciate cultural heritage during their university years is therefore also a way of planting the seeds for Vietnamese culture to be preserved, reimagined, and shared in the digital age.
TECHNOLOGY OPENS THE FUTURE, CULTURE GIVES IT DEPTH
Through “Dệt Thanh Âm Việt,” UIT continues to broaden the student experience beyond academic and professional training, working toward an educational environment where students can develop comprehensively in knowledge, skills, cultural awareness, and responsibility to the community.
The program also reflects UIT’s efforts to put the spirit of Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW into practice by integrating culture more deeply into the educational environment, expanding students’ access to the arts, and nurturing confidence, pride, and a sense of responsibility for preserving Vietnamese cultural identity among younger generations.
On this journey, technology equips young people to step confidently into the future, while culture gives them the depth to understand who they are, appreciate what they have inherited, and decide what values they wish to carry with them into the world.
“Dệt Thanh Âm Việt” therefore leaves behind more than the echoes of traditional music on a morning at the beginning of a new academic year. It offers another way for Vietnamese culture to remain vibrant, relevant, and naturally present in the lives of UIT students today.