Established in 2003, the “Sao Khuê Award” 
aims to honor and celebrate individuals and organizations with outstanding achievements, contributing to the reputation and image of Vietnam’s software and IT industry. The award has garnered significant public interest, especially in 2006, when it first awarded stars to winning software products.
Among the 21 awards for representative Vietnamese software products, 3 products received a 5-star rating: the Personalized SIM Card Embedded Software from MK Smart Card Joint Venture; the IRP Solution for enterprise management according to the ERP model from AXZ Software Solutions Joint Stock Company; and the e-commerce portal (www.chodientu.com) from Peacesoft Software Solutions Joint Stock Company. Additionally, 18 other products were awarded a 4-star rating.
In the field of media and IT development, PC World Magazine and the Digital Life Program (Vietnam Television) have received this prestigious award for two consecutive years. At the award ceremony, Mr. Nguyễn Thành Lưu, Head of the Digital Life Program, emphasized: “The requirements set by the Sao Khuê 2006 organizing committee demand that previous award winners show significant contributions and development in the current year. We have made great efforts, and our biggest contribution over the past year is bringing technology closer to life.”
The application of ERP in enterprise management is a rapidly growing trend in Vietnam; however, not all economic units achieve the desired success and effectiveness. Unilever Vietnam is not only a leader in this area but is also renowned for its effective ERP implementation. “We implement ERP applications and IT solutions primarily to enhance our company’s competitiveness. We truly feel fortunate and proud to receive this award,” shared Mr. Nguyễn Anh Nguyên, Director of Planning and IT at Unilever Vietnam.
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| Mr. Nguyễn Thành Lưu, Head of the Digital Life Program |
Recognized for outstanding growth are three entities: PYTHIS New Technology Joint Stock Company, GHP Far East, and the Da Nang Softech Software Technology Center. The FPT Aptech International Programmer Training Center received the title of representative unit in IT training. The organizing committee believes that the aforementioned award-winning representatives have contributed to the domestic software and IT industry, achieving “a value exceeding 200 million USD in 2005” and helping the Vietnamese software industry “form and evolve daily.” Mr. Frank Schellenberg, a representative of GHP Far East Co., Ltd., expressed: “We are very happy to receive such a prestigious award right after entering Vietnam. We are delighted to stand alongside famous Vietnamese software companies on the podium to receive the Sao Khuê award.”
At the Sao Khuê award ceremony held yesterday morning (May 27, 2006) in Hanoi, as in the previous year, only one individual was honored for their significant contributions to the formulation and implementation of IT policies: the late Major General Nguyễn Đình Ngọc, former Director of the Telecommunications Science Department (Ministry of Public Security). He dedicated many years and made significant contributions to the development of IT in the police sector and Vietnam as a whole. Sadly, due to a severe illness, he passed away on May 2, unable to attend the Sao Khuê award ceremony where he was to be honored. Representing the late General Ngọc to receive the Sao Khuê award, his wife, Mrs. Trương Mỹ Dung, emotionally stated: “This is a great honor for my husband and our family. This is a significant award for my husband’s quiet contributions over a long time.”
36 Sao Khuê awards in 2006 were presented from 52 entries that passed the preliminary round. It is known that this award not only aims to honor but also to “promote the application of software in various economic and social sectors, in agencies and units, supporting software companies to expand their markets.”
