HSB students engage with sustainable human resource management mindsets alongside professors from Ghent University.
HSB Students Explore Sustainable Human Resource Management with Ghent University Professor
On the afternoon of October 9, 2026, as part of their Principles of Management course, students from MET8 at the School of Business and Management (HSB), Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), participated in an academic session on "Sustainable Human Resource Management" with Professor Alex Vanderstraeten, Professor Emeritus of Human Resource Management at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium. The session offered valuable insights into the role of people in organisational competitiveness and long-term development.
From Strategic Human Resource Management to Sustainable Development
As businesses navigate rapid changes in technology, labour markets, and sustainability requirements, human resource management is no longer limited to recruitment, training, or performance appraisal. Long-term organisational development requires a working environment that enables employees to realise their potential, maintain their well-being and motivation, and align business objectives with responsibilities towards people and society.
This perspective lies at the heart of sustainable human resource management (Sustainable HRM), an approach that considers people in relation to economic performance and environmental responsibility. From this perspective, organisational success is measured not only by immediate financial outcomes but also by the ability to develop workforce capabilities, maintain employee well-being, and establish the foundations for lasting performance.
Sustainable human resource management goes beyond business performance by placing the long-term development of people and organisations at its core.
With his expertise in strategic and sustainable human resource management, Professor Alex Vanderstraeten provided a strong academic foundation for students to examine the topic from both theoretical and practical management perspectives. These insights helped students better understand the relationships between HR policies, employee behaviour, workplace performance, and organisational development.
Academic Research with Practical Management Applications
Professor Alex Vanderstraeten's research covers human resource management, performance management, organisational behaviour, and team effectiveness. Many of his publications focus on developing and evaluating HR policies with a long-term strategic orientation.
In 2021, Professor Vanderstraeten co-authored Sustainable HRM: From Theory to Practice with Robin Kramar. The book provides a systematic overview of the theoretical foundations of sustainable human resource management while presenting practical cases and tools to support organisations in developing and evaluating their HR strategies. It is intended for researchers, students, and human resource management practitioners.
Earlier, in his 2015 work The HRM Cockpit: An Instrument for Developing and Evaluating Sustainable HRM in an Organization, Professor Vanderstraeten proposed a tool designed to support the monitoring and evaluation of sustainable HRM strategy implementation. This approach emphasises translating HR objectives into measurable and actionable elements that organisations can monitor, evaluate, and continuously improve.
In addition, his research on performance management systems, team collaboration, and employee well-being offers further insights into the relationships between HR policies and individual behaviour, experiences, and work outcomes. These issues are particularly relevant to future managers responsible for designing HR policies and building effective, resilient, and sustainable workplaces.
Connecting International Knowledge with the Learning Journey at HSB
Through the academic session, MET8 students had the opportunity to explore an increasingly important field of management while broadening their understanding of how managers can align organisational objectives with employees' development needs. Sustainable HRM is therefore not merely the responsibility of an HR department; it is also an integral component of strategic thinking and leadership capabilities.
Integrating contemporary management topics into classroom learning, together with contributions from international scholars, enables HSB students to stay informed about emerging knowledge, engage with specialised research, and connect academic concepts with real-world business challenges. Such opportunities also encourage students to strengthen their critical thinking, analytical capabilities, and global perspectives – essential qualities in an ever-changing business environment.
HSB extends its sincere appreciation to Professor Alex Vanderstraeten for his participation and for sharing valuable academic insights with students. Such learning opportunities reaffirm HSB's commitment to integrating international knowledge with practical management education, helping prepare future generations of managers with the capabilities to lead organisations towards effective and sustainable development.