POTENTIAL FOR COOPERATION IN TRAINING, RESEARCH, AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND KALUGA REGION, RUSSIAN FEDERATION

16/03/2025

On March 12, 2025, at Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), Professor Dr. Chu Hoang Ha, Vice President of VAST, hosted and held working discussions with Mr. Potemkin Vladimir Vasilyevich, Deputy Governor of Kaluga Region, Russian Federation, and his delegation. The two sides exchanged insights on scientific and technological strengths as well as prospects for cooperation in research, training, technology application, and product commercialization.

Overview of the meeting

Prof. Dr. Chu Hoang Ha reaffirmed the traditional cooperative relationship between VAST and Russian partners throughout the 50-year development journey of the Academy. He emphasized the significant support from the government, people, and scientists of the former Soviet Union in training human resources and enhancing the scientific and technological research capacity of VAST. At present, the Academy and leading Russian research institutions continue to collaborate on multiple joint research projects, integrating postgraduate education in various fields of both fundamental and applied sciences. As a premier governmental research institution in Vietnam, VAST boasts strengths in scientific research, technological development, and high-quality human resource training. It has a comprehensive network of specialized research units, key laboratories, and three institutions offering undergraduate and postgraduate education, complemented by extensive domestic and international partnerships.

Deputy Governor of Kaluga Region, Mr. Potemkin Vladimir Vasilyevich, introduced Kaluga as a significant science and technology hub of the Russian Federation, particularly prominent in aerospace, nuclear energy, agricultural biotechnology, and manufacturing industries. He also highlighted the successes of Vietnamese enterprises in Kaluga, especially the TH True Milk joint venture with the largest dairy factory in the Russian Federation, underscoring the cooperation potential not only in research but also in technology application and commercial development.

Prof. Dr. Chu Hoang Ha, Vice President of VAST, and Mr. Potemkin Vladimir Vasilyevich, Deputy Governor of Kaluga Region, Russian Federation

The two sides discussed potential areas of cooperation, including satellite technology development, aerospace expert training, nuclear technology applications in medicine and energy, high-tech agricultural research, and enhanced integration of training with scientific research. The Academy also expressed interest in learning from Kaluga’s experience in developing science museums, particularly aerospace museums.

On this occasion, Mr. Potemkin Vladimir Vasilyevich, on behalf of Kaluga Region, expressed the intention to present VAST with a large portrait of Professor Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, an eminent scientist from Kaluga and the father of modern astronautics. VAST sincerely appreciated this gesture from the Kaluga leadership and intends to display the portrait at the Vietnam Space Museum, located at the Vietnam Space Center under VAST. This symbolic contribution aims to inspire future generations of Vietnamese youth to pursue research and explore the universe.

In the near future, research institutions under VAST and from Kaluga Region will engage in communication, collaboration, and program development, further strengthening the long-standing tradition of scientific, technological, and educational cooperation between Vietnam and the Russian Federation. These efforts are especially meaningful as 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Commemorative photo

INTRODUCTION TO KALUGA REGION

Kaluga is a region in the Russian Federation located approximately 160 kilometers from Moscow. It is renowned for its history in science and technology, particularly in aerospace and nuclear energy. Kaluga is one of the economically developed regions of Russia and a major industrial center, especially advanced in the following sectors: automobile manufacturing, space technology, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, mechanical engineering, and agricultural production—main outputs include grains, potatoes, livestock farming, and dairy production.

The city of Kaluga, the region’s capital, is where Professor Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky (1857–1935), a Russian scientist, mathematician, and philosopher who laid the theoretical foundations of astronautics, spent most of his life living and working. Notably, Sputnik 1—the world’s first artificial satellite launched into space on October 4, 1957—carried the Kaluga region’s flag, paying special tribute to Professor Tsiolkovsky and the city of Kaluga, where he developed groundbreaking concepts in rocket dynamics.

Kaluga is also the site of the world’s first nuclear power plant in the city of Obninsk, which commenced operation in 1954. This marked the beginning of the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The technology from Obninsk was subsequently improved and implemented in larger nuclear power plants around the world.

Translated by Phuong Ha
Link to Vietnamese version

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