On the afternoon of 22 October 2026, the AIN8748 Project Management Board, in collaboration with the Youth Union and Student Association of the University of Sciences, Hue University, organised the Closing and Award Ceremony of the “Communication Innovation Competition to Support Business Development at Tinh Thuong Phong Dien Cooperative, Hue City” at Duy Tan Hotel, Hue City. The event was held as part of the project’s final activities.
Launched in August 2026 with financial support from the AIN8748 Project, the competition aimed to foster students’ creativity and encourage the development of practical communication initiatives to promote the cooperative’s products, improve its business performance, and raise awareness of the social values embodied in its activities.
Tinh Thuong Phong Dien Cooperative is among the cooperatives supported by the AIN8748 Project to improve production conditions, strengthen operational capacities, and create employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. In addition to providing equipment for the production of traditional products, such as incense sticks and incense cones, the project has focused on enhancing the cooperative’s management, communication, and market access capacities, with the aim of developing stable and sustainable livelihoods for its members.
Through the competition, students had the opportunity to apply their academic knowledge, communication skills, and creative thinking to develop solutions addressing the cooperative’s practical needs. The proposed initiatives focused on product promotion, expanding customer outreach, developing communication content, and sharing inspiring stories highlighting the resilience, skills, and contributions of persons with disabilities in production and business activities.
At the closing ceremony, the Organising Committee presented one First Prize, one Second Prize, one Third Prize, two Consolation Prizes, and two additional awards. The First Prize was awarded to Team Bao To from the Faculty of Journalism and Communication, University of Sciences, Hue University.
Beyond recognising and celebrating innovative ideas, the competition demonstrated the value of collaboration among higher education institutions, students, and cooperatives in addressing practical community needs. It also contributed to advancing the AIN8748 Project’s objectives of inclusive development by strengthening business capacities, expanding opportunities for economic participation, and improving livelihoods for vulnerable groups.
Connecting students’ creativity with the cooperative’s development needs also highlighted the importance of integrating technical assistance and production equipment support with communication, product promotion, and market development initiatives. This integrated approach represents an important pathway towards strengthening cooperatives’ self-reliance, sustaining their operations, and ensuring the long-term effectiveness of livelihood models beyond the project period.
