A University-city Complex, a Model for Sustainable Development: A Case Study in Vietnam

In modern ages, universities have shaped the civilized society and contributed to its knowledge base by educating the workforce, and providing consultation to government and businesses. In the wake of globalization, it is necessary to establish mutual beneficial relationships between universities and their urban areas; hence, the university - city complex model. In the context of Vietnam, most universities are located in urban areas; none of which, however, has fully engaged in the local community in meaningful ways. With the core idea of “Building an intelligent and ecologically friendly city”, this paper proposes the design of a university - city complex in Hung Yen province, Vietnam. This design will stimulate sustainable development of the local community through green architecture, spatial planning of university complex, and careful design of education programs and services. This paper will also present the conceptual knowledge of the subject, potential factors driving the development, and successful case studies of university - city complexes.