International Business Arena 2025: The “battlefield” of future business strategists

The International Business Arena 2025, a competition organized by students of the Faculty of Logistics – International Trade, has officially concluded with many outstanding achievements. This competition serves as an annual academic forum that connects students nationwide who are passionate about startups, business, and e-commerce.

Where students are challenged as real strategists

The final round of the International Business Arena 2025 (IBA) competition concluded with many outstanding professional achievements. More than just an academic competition, the IBA proved its value as a national startup simulation that tested 200 students in their roles as business founders, strategists, and operators.

The competition’s three rounds challenged teams to: develop and implement a realistic business plan that covered everything from market research to brand communication. This structure offered students apply their interdisciplinary knowledge in fields like logistics, marketing, strategic management, and corporate finance.

Deriving academic value from a real-world environment and in-depth criticism

The professional quality of the IBA competition was defined by its core element: real-world criticism. Projects are not only evaluated on their ideas, but also viewed through the lens of operations, risk analysis, sustainability, and commercialization potential. The Jury, consisting of CEOs, experts, and managers from businesses, acted as “investors”, asking questions and providing guidance to each competing group.

The assessment criteria were designed to move beyond a typical classroom environment. Teams had to prove their model’s operational viability and display critical thinking when faced with probing questions from the judges. The final results were a clear testament to the professional quality and innovative spirit of the competing teams.

Champion: “Go With The Flow” Group with Prenest project – Integrated Healthcare for the Home Building Journey;

First Runner-up: “Caffinity” Group with Veritas – coffee grounds recycling;

Second Runner-up: “Seven” group with DIVA PET & VET – Pet products;

Consolation Prizes: Group 11 with Homelab – herbal shampoo project; and “LOG21” group with “Dried vegetables and fruits with spices”.

Best individual award: Ms. Nguyen Hoang Anh Thu

Professional luggage for the digital age

Although the competition is over, the experience from IBA 2025 will provide students with invaluable skills and knowledge essential for success in a professional world defined by digital transformation and globalization. Dr. Tu Minh Thien, Vice Provost of Hoa Sen University, commented:

The IBA is a powerful academic model that immerses students in the market, teaching them the true nature of entrepreneurship. By combining hands-on experience with expert academic criticism, it forges a uniquely profound educational experience.

According to Dr. Nguyen Huu Hao, Dean of the Faculty of Logistics – International Trade, the competition was valuable for helping students expand their business connections and bridge the gap between their studies and the professional world.

The students’ ability to directly implement their projects, receive expert feedback, and see their work function as a real business model clearly demonstrates Hoa Sen University’s focus on practical education. In a world that values innovation, training models like the IBA are a solid launching pad for students’ careers.

Created: Tan Tai – Hoai Thuong

Office of Marketing – Communications