The Kaluga Province Delegation of the Russian Federation Visits Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology: Promoting Cooperation in Space Technology, Biotechnology, and Human Resource Training
Overview of the meeting
Representing Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), the reception was led by Prof. Dr. Tran Hong Thai, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Standing Vice President of VAST, together with leaders of several affiliated units, including the Department of International Cooperation; the Institute for Materials Science; the Institute of Chemistry; the Institute of Earth Sciences; the Institute of Biology; the Institute of Physics; the Institute of Energy and Environmental Science and Technology; the Vietnam National Space Center; and the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi.
On the Kaluga Province side, participants included Mr. Bezdetko Gennady Stepanovich, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Vietnam; Mr. Vladislav Shapsha, Governor of Kaluga Province; Mr. Gennady Novoseltsev, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Kaluga Province; leaders of the Kaluga Department of Science and Technology; representatives of the Kaluga Research Institute of Space Exploration; and experts in satellite equipment, radar, sensors, and biotechnology.
Prof. Dr. Tran Hong Thai, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Standing Vice President of VAST, in discussion with the delegation during the reception
Welcoming the Kaluga delegation, Prof. Dr. Tran Hong Thai noted that Vietnam and the Russian Federation share a long-standing traditional friendship, particularly in science and technology, education and training, and high-tech industries. He emphasized that this meeting was an opportunity for both sides to exchange views on areas in which Vietnam and Kaluga have mutual strengths and common interests. Direct discussions with the Kaluga delegation, he added, provide an important basis for enhancing coordination in implementing joint research projects, especially in space technology and biotechnology - two fields with strong potential to contribute to Vietnam’s socio-economic development.
Mr. Gennady Novoseltsev, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Kaluga Province, delivered remarks at the meeting
The Kaluga delegation expressed high appreciation for Vietnam’s scientific and technological progress in recent years, particularly its capabilities in Earth-observation satellite research and development, ground-station construction, and radar and remote-sensing data processing. The delegation also expressed a strong desire to enhance joint research, co-develop high-tech equipment, and promote expert exchanges between research institutes of both sides.
Ambassador Bezdetko Gennady Stepanovich reaffirmed his support for the strategic cooperation programs between VAST and Russia’s scientific and technological institutions, highlighting Kaluga’s role as a key industrial and space-technology hub of the Russian Federation.
At the meeting, the two sides discussed in detail the potential for joint development in small-satellite technologies, synthetic-aperture radar, environmental sensors, and ground-observation systems. Vietnam has completed the construction of the Vietnam National Space Center in Hoa Lac, equipped with the technical infrastructure needed for the operation and control of LOTUSat-1 as well as for the design and manufacturing of “Made in Vietnam” satellites. Vietnam has also launched several satellites into orbit, including VNREDSat-1 (its first optical satellite, 2013), PicoDragon (1 kg, 2013), MicroDragon (50 kg, 2019), and NanoDragon (4 kg, 2021). LOTUSat-1, Vietnam’s first 600-kg synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellite, has completed testing and is ready for launch. VAST is now preparing for the next phase, which includes a constellation of small Earth-observation satellites by 2030, with a vision toward 2040, and preparations for LOTUSat-2 and VNREDSat-2. The Kaluga delegation shared experience in satellite research and manufacturing, space-technology testing, orbit simulation, and the production of high-precision measurement equipment.
In the fields of biotechnology and high-tech agriculture, both sides recognized strong potential for cooperation in molecular breeding, microbial technology, cell technology, veterinary vaccines, functional foods, and smart-greenhouse models areas in which Kaluga has significant strengths and which Vietnam is prioritizing to improve productivity, quality, and technological autonomy.
In the area of human-resource development, the two sides identified broad opportunities for student and faculty exchanges, academic cooperation, and the implementation of joint research projects in space science, biotechnology, and materials science. Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in training through specialized courses, laboratory-based research practice, and advanced professional development, with the aim of building a high-quality workforce that meets Vietnam’s needs in science, technology, and innovation.
In concluding the meeting, the two sides agreed that VAST’s Department of International Cooperation would serve as the focal point for promoting joint programs, while the Kaluga delegation would designate corresponding scientific and technological contact points to coordinate the implementation of upcoming projects.
The meeting opened promising prospects for developing substantive cooperation initiatives in research, technology transfer, and high-level human-resource training, contributing to strengthening the friendship between Vietnam and the Russian Federation and to advancing scientific and technological development in both sides.
Additional photos from the meeting:
Representatives engaged in discussion during the meeting
Presentation of a Kaluga commemorative relief featuring space-technology motifs to VAST
Exchange of souvenirs between the two sides
Group photo marking the conclusion of the meeting
Translated by Phuong Ha
Link to Vietnamese version
