On October 9, 2026, as part of the Second International Exhibition and Conference on Modern Railway Technologies and Infrastructure Construction Supply Chains in Vietnam (VRT&CON 2026), the University of Transport and Communications (UTC) successfully hosted a thematic seminar entitled “Signaling, Control and System Security.” The event brought together a large number of delegates from regulatory authorities, security forces, railway operators, technology enterprises, as well as domestic and international experts and researchers.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Chuong, Vice President of UTC, delivers the opening remarks at the seminar.

Laying the Technical and Safety Foundations for Modern Railways

In his opening remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Chuong, Vice President of UTC, emphasized that the development of modern railways requires the coordinated advancement of infrastructure, rolling stock, technology, operational organization and human resources. Within this integrated framework, signaling, control and system security form the backbone of railway operations, directly determining train safety, enhancing line capacity and ensuring service quality.

A railway line can operate at its full potential only when all its constituent systems - from operation control centres and train control systems to telecommunications, power supply and data platforms - work together accurately and reliably. In particular, as digitalization and automation continue to accelerate, operational safety must go hand in hand with cybersecurity.

Identifying risks at an early stage, including those arising from system interfaces, data inconsistencies and access control vulnerabilities, is essential to developing the capabilities required for system integration, verification and lifecycle management throughout a project. These requirements must be addressed from the design stage.

The seminar attracted a large number of experts, researchers and business representatives.

During the working session, the seminar focused on in-depth discussions of several key issues:

- System Architecture Compatibility and Technology Integration: Examining the specific requirements of high-speed railways and urban rail transit to identify control solutions (ETCS/ERTMS, CBTC, etc.) suited to Vietnam’s practical conditions, while optimizing operating and maintenance costs.

- Ensuring Safety and Security through Security by Design: Integrating safety and cybersecurity standards into system architecture from the outset; establishing mechanisms for independent safety assessment and certification; and clearly defining the responsibilities of all parties involved.

- Technology Transfer and Domestic Technological Capability Development: Developing a skilled domestic engineering workforce capable of operating, troubleshooting, maintaining and progressively improving railway technologies, while meeting the requirements for interdisciplinary coordination across electrical and electronic engineering, automation, telecommunications, information technology, cybersecurity and transport operations.

Delegates from the University of Transport and Communications attend the seminar.

Affirming UTC’s Mission as a Key University in Science and Technology

As a key national university in science and technology for the transport sector, the University of Transport and Communications (UTC) clearly recognizes its pioneering responsibility in developing a highly qualified workforce and strengthening scientific and technological capabilities for the railway industry.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Chuong reaffirmed the University’s strategic approach: education and training must be closely aligned with practical needs, research must focus on addressing specific challenges arising from projects, and international cooperation is key to accessing advanced technologies.

UTC proposed three priority areas for cooperation with partners and businesses:

• Developing tailored training and professional development programmes: Emphasizing practical skills and hands-on experience in working with real-world integrated systems.
• Developing laboratory and simulation environments: Supporting research into operational scenarios, incident response testing, and safety and security verification.
• Establishing collaborative research groups: Connecting the University, businesses and international experts to address major challenges related to system integration, operational data and risk management.
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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hai, Dean of the Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, presents his paper entitled “Control Technologies and Information Security in High-Speed Railway System Operations.”

• Contributing to the technical discussions at the event, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hai, Dean of UTC’s Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, delivered a key presentation entitled “Control Technologies and Information Security in High-Speed Railway System Operations.”
• His presentation provided a comprehensive overview of the subject, supported by valuable technical data, and offered practical recommendations for the control and operational security of high-speed railway systems in Vietnam.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Chuong, Vice President of UTC, visits the University’s science and technology exhibition area at VRT&CON 2026.

The University of Transport and Communications delegation attends the seminar.

The series of prominent academic activities at VRT&CON 2026 once again reaffirmed the University of Transport and Communications’ core mission: to remain a committed partner in the country’s key infrastructure projects, proactively embrace breakthrough technologies such as high-speed rail, artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced materials, and make practical contributions to the advancement of science and technology and the nation’s socio-economic development.