Celebration of Vietnam Science and Technology Day on May 18, 2018 and the 43th anniversary of Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (May 20, 1975 - May 20, 2018).
The ceremony welcomed by Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Politburo member, Chairwoman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; Vu Duc Dam, Deputy Prime Minister; Chu Ngoc Anh, Minister of Science and Technology; Bui Nhat Quang, Vice President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences. Coming from the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology were Professor and Academic Chau Van Minh, Party Central Committee member, Secretary of the VAST Party Committee, VAST President; Professors Nguyen Dinh Cong and Phan Ngoc Minh, VAST Vice Presidents; Professor and Academic Nguyen Van Hieu, former VAST President; together with leaders, chairpersons of scientific councils and scientists of the units under VAST.
On behalf of VAST leaders, Professor and Academic Chau Van Minh, delivered the opening speech, reporting with the National Assembly Chairwoman on VAST general situation. Throughout 43 years of construction and development, VAST has been growing and developing in all aspects, meeting the needs of development and contributing positively to the cause of national construction and defense.
On human resources: There are currently nearly 4000 cadres and officers, including 1,200 scientists with doctoral or higher degrees (of which nearly 300 are professors, associate professors, Doctors of Science).
On facilities, equipment, laboratories: VAST has four national key laboratories and many key laboratories of the academy.
Professor and Academic Chau Van Minh, on behalf of VAST leaders, addresses the ceremony and reports to the NA Chairwoman on VAST situation
International cooperation: VAST regularly expands scientific and technological cooperation and exchanges with international partners in many fields, including programs cooperating with traditional partners, such as cooperating with the Russian Academy of Sciences conducting a survey on marine resources on the ship “Oparin Academician”; and cooperation with the Japanese and French aerospace agencies in developing satellite and space technology.
On basic research: VAST basic research has been internationally appreciated and has affirmed its position at the regional level. In the past 10 years, the Institute has always been the leading unit in the field of basic research with the number of published works increasing annually with a high rate, to reach 2,000 announced per year.
On technological development and application: VAST always attaches great importance to developing and promoting the application of technology for life and economic and social development. It has succeeded in mastering Vietnam"s first earth observation satellite, VNREDSat-1; successfully developing PicoDragon micro satellite; successfully manufacturing and testing unmanned airplane; producing iron ore, sponge iron and steel from red mud on an industrial scale; contributing scientific achievements to cope with strange phenomena, natural disasters and earthquakes. In 2016, together with local and foreign scientists, VAST found its cause in the Formosa environmental incident in 4 central provinces.
On training activities: VAST has two training foundations: the Graduate University of Science and Technology and the Hanoi University of Science and Technology. Over the past years, VAST has closely linked scientific research with the training of human resources, becoming a prestigious foundation in training masters and doctors in natural sciences and technology.
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan speaks at the ceremony
On behalf of the Party and State leaders, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan recognized VAST achievements over the past years, and shared with its difficulties. The National Assembly Chairwoman expressed her belief that with its tradition of 40 years of construction and development, and the great care from the Party and State, VAST will gain greater achievements, successfully fulfilling the goal of becoming the nation’s leading scientific research and technological development center by 2020 which has scientific and technological potential of advanced level in the Southeast Asian region, actively contributing to the national sustainable construction and development.
The National Assembly Chairwoman also made some suggestions to VAST as follows:
VAST needs to concentrate its resources and invest in cutting-edge scientific and technological directions, which have practical significance for the cause of national industrialization and modernization, especially during globalization and the 4th industrial revolution. Besides the tasks assigned by the State, VAST needs to promote the application of research results, scientific and technological achievements in people’s production and life; and commercialize scientific products for socio-economic development.
VAST needs to continue research to strongly renovate its management mechanism of scientific and technological activities, creating a dynamic environment for scientists to contribute creativity; carry out basic scientific development programs in areas that Vietnam is strong in such as Mathematics, Physics, Life Sciences, Earth Sciences and Marine Sciences; attach importance to the development of highly applied fields, some interdisciplinary fields between natural sciences and technical and technological areas; and build a number of research institutes and laboratories of international standard.
Apart from State budget capital, it is necessary to mobilize social resources, at first businesses’ investment resources in application of science and technology in production and business; support the science and technology market in the direction of developing a network of technical service organizations, transferring, consultancy, evaluation of technologies; actively contribute to the development of the national database on technology, technological experts, and supply and demand connection of new products.
VAST should develop an appropriate scientific human resource development strategy in the context of global competition in science and technology, to have a scientific staff meeting the qualifications and capacity for VAST development in the new stage; to implement the preferential mechanisms and policies applicable to scientific and technological cadres, especially leading and highly qualified scientific cadres; and issue a practical and effective policy mechanism to attract talented young scientists, overseas Vietnamese scientists and foreign experts to cooperate in research.
VAST was also urged to further promote science and technology cooperation at home and abroad, especially international cooperation on science and technology for active international integration.
It was asked to take proposals to the State on mechanisms and policies suitable for the reality in the field of science and technology in order to solve the urgent problems; to focus on raising the capability of forecasting research on scientific and technological development demand in accordance with the country’s conditions in order to build a scientific and technological strategy for national sustainable development.
Talking about VAST difficulties, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan suggested ministries, agencies, the National Assembly Committee of Science, Technology and Environment study to recommend the modification of unsuitable regulations to promptly tackle difficulties and obstacles, creating favorable conditions for scientists’ work.
Some pictures at the ceremony:
The National Assembly Chairwoman visits a number of galleries of VAST scientific and technological applications
Souvenir photograph
Translated by Phuong Huyen
Link to Vietnamese version
