Image-Creation Ecosystem in Vietnam – Full of potentials but lack of high-quality human resources

In recent years, the image-creation industry in Vietnam has gained considerable achievements, especially in video games and comic books. However, the local development and globalized markets also raised a new challenge: how to build enough high-quality human resources for the industry?

A promising land but lack of “farmers”

The creative industry first appeared in Europe in the mid-20th century, then developed and reached its peak in Asia. In thriving markets such as Japan, South Korea, the U.S., and European countries, the creative industry not only brings immense value to the domestic economy but also makes significant contributions to spreading traditional cultural values around the world.

According to international experts, Vietnam is one of the largest gaming markets in Southeast Asia with advantages such as cultural diversity, a rich heritage, a young population who are eager to adopt technology trends, and burgeoning cities.

As one of the top institutions of technology and design in Vietnam for over a decade, VTC Academy has witnessed an increasing demand for high-quality human resources in the market, especially during the past few years. In our recent research, the number of young people interested in image-creation industries has increased by more than 400% from 2020 to 2023.

Maybe just a decade ago, no one expected the market to grow this much. The good news is, the future of an image-creation ecosystem in Vietnam is a predictable trend. However, despite positive signals of animation and the comic book industry in recent years, it is disappointing that the Vietnamese market has not witnessed remarkable products.?

The problem is that most domestic creative teams still focus on producing and providing services for foreign projects, resulting in a shortage of Vietnamese animated films and comic books.

Young talents need effective environments to grow

Apparently, Vietnam is a potential market for investors and startups. Its potential and weakness have urged top leaders and influencers to build a firm foundation for the visual creative industry.

To create an environment for young talents to learn, grow, and go beyond their limits, and to raise Vietnam’s status globally, since 2021 VTC Academy has gathered with national and international experts to discuss the development of the creative industry in Vietnam.

In the symposium “The Image-Creation Ecosystem (AVGC) in Vietnam” in Nov 2021, representatives from Institut Fran?ais Vietnam (IFV), Goethe-Institut Vietnam, UNESCO, VTC Academy, and other professional partners all agreed that developing an image-creation ecosystem is a critical mission for not only cultural organizations and companies but also educational institutions, especially in the context of the explosion of technology and globalization. Hence, the development of the image-creation ecosystem in Vietnam will raise the country's competitiveness and global ranking.

“Despite great skills and innovative thinking, Vietnamese talents don’t have enough ideal environments for learning and developing. The point is we need to create better environments so that young people can grow and develop their skills and capabilities” - said Mr. Hoang Viet Tan, CEO of VTC Academy.

Until now, VTC Academy was the only Vietnamese educational organization participating in discussions with other international cultural and educational organizations to develop the image-creation ecosystem in Vietnam. The mission of VTC Academy is to develop domestic high-quality human resources to meet the demands of the Digital Economy, to deliver academic and cultural values to the youth, and to support them in improving, connecting with experts around the world.

To become high-quality human resources in the world, young talents in Vietnam need to improve and adapt to globalization trends to reach international standards and meet the requirements of global partners. According to our experts, the international modern creative industry tends to apply advanced technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), 3D Design and Artificial Intelligence (AI).?

Plenty of opportunities and challenges still exist in Vietnamese creative market. To build a sustainable ecosystem, we suppose it is necessary to educate the public’s perception of modern creative industries. It is also the core mission of educational organizations in Vietnam to build a healthy environment for young people who are passionate about cultures and art.