40 years of VAST’s development
The overview of the 40th founding anniversary of VAST
The event drew the participation of Vu Duc Dam, member of the Party Central Committee, Vice Prime Minister; Nguyen Quan, member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Science and Technology; Nguyen Xuan Thang, member of the Party Central Committee, president of Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; Phung Xuan Nha, alternate member the Party Central Committee, director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi; and representatives from ministries, committees and agencies.
Prof. Acad. Chau Van Minh, member of the Party Central Committee, president of VAST; Prof. Duong Ngoc Hai and Assoc. Prof. Phan Van Kiem, vice presidents of VAST; Assoc. Prof. Ha Duy Ngo, vice secretary of VAST Party Committee; VAST staff and former leaders of VAST also participated in the anniversary.
Prof. Acad. Chau Van Minh, member of the Party Central Committee, president of VAST made a speech at the ceremony
Prof. Acad. Chau Van Minh reviewed VAST’s development and its outstanding achievements over the past 40 years.
Recognizing the role and importance of science and technology in the national construction and development, the Governmental Council signed Decision No 118/CP dated May 20th, 1975 on the establishment of VAST – an office under the Government. It realises the basic functions of studying natural sciences and developing technology; provides scientific ground for scientific and technological management, for the building of policies, strategies, planning and plans on socio-economic development; training of high-quality scientific and technological human resources for the country according to relevant laws.
VAST has passed four development periods. In the 1975-1993 period, VAST had a historical mission of building a basic science in the country. Between1993-2003, it was reorganized into the National Center of Natural Sciences and Technology. Its function was clearly defined in the field of natural science and supplemented technology research development. In the 2004-2012 period, it was renamed the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology to perform basic research in natural sciences and technology development according to key orientations of the state. From 2013 until now, it is worthy of being recognized as the leading scientific research body in the country.
Over the past 40 years, VAST has sharply developed in every field, in both staff potential and facilities, affirming its position as well as providing contributions to natural sciences in Vietnam and around the world. Promoting the advantages of a leading multidisciplinary research institute of in natural sciences and technology, the academy has completed the assigned tasks by the Party and the State to serve socio-economic development, and ensure national security and defence. It has presided over many programmes, investigation projects and general research on natural resources, natural conditions and environment to provide scientific bases for making plans on socio-economic development in Vietnam and its territories.
VAST is always a leading unit in the field of basic research, application research in high technology such as nano technology, biotechnology, new material technology, remote sensing technology and space technology. It is a leading unit in the country in international publications meeting ISI standards, with an increase in several recent years to 29% per year and accounting for 40-45% of international publications of the country in natural science (in five years only from 2010 to 2015, nearly 9,300 scientific publications of the academy, including 3,100 international publications with over 2,000 works meeting ISI standard, hundreds of monographs, patents and inventions), three magazines in the field of Maths and nano technology were listed in the international Scopus list and are striving to the list of IST standard meeting magazines in the future.
The academy’s success in mastering Vietnam’s first earth observation satellite VNREDSat-1 was marked by the second anniversary of the satellite’s launch to its orbit and effectively operating to serve socio-economic development, national security and defence; the successful manufacture of the super small satellite PicoDragon which operates in space and transmits signals to the ground; production of iron ore, sponge iron and steel from red mud on an industrial scale with the over 200 tonne test, not only contributes to solve environmental pollution but also brings great socio-economic effectiveness.
With the role of a leading scientific research agency of the country, associating scientific research with human resource training, the academy has become a cradle of post-graduate training in Vietnam in the field of natural sciences. 19 institutes under VAST were assigned to train doctors and masters by Prime Minister, with the annual training 400 PhD and MA students. In 2014, the Graduate University of Science and Technology under VAST were established by the Prime Minister to open a new period for the academy to promote high-quality science staff training in natural sciences in Vietnam.
To strengthen research potential, the academy attaches special attention to developing international cooperation in science and technology. The academy signed cooperation agreements with more than 30 international organizations, scientific research agencies and major universities around the world.
With achievements over the past 40 years, VAST were presented the second-class Independence Medal in 1995, the first-class Independence Medal in 200, Ho Chi Minh Medal in 2010. Many institutes and cadres from VAST were presented to Independence and Labour Medals, Certificate of Merit of the Prime Minister, Ta Quang Buu award for their outstanding achievements in their work, contributing to the cause of building socialism and national protection.
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam made a speech at the ceremony
Addressing the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister, Vu Duc Dam applauded the achievements made by scientists from the academy over the past 40 years. He said the national economic development depends much on the creative capacity in science. Science is a driving force for economic development. However, the creative capacity in Vietnam is not good. The number of basic research projects has increased, but it is low in comparison with those in other countries in the region and the world.
The Deputy Prime Minister said that scientists are the quintessence of the country. The state, the government and society expects much of them.. Therefore, VAST needs to continue building advanced institutes which, are very pervasive in the society and staff of scientists, making contribution to science around the world. He also asked scientists in Vietnam in general and in VAST in particular to renew and express themselves to develop national science, meeting the requirements of national industrialization and modernization.
Several photos at the ceremony
Translated by Tuyet Nhung
Link to Vietnamese Version
