Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology proposed UNESCO continue to sponsor activities of two Category II Science Centers in Mathematics and Physics.

23/09/2024
On September 10, 2024, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) held a working session with Ms. Lidia Brito, Assistant Director General of UNESCO for Natural Sciences. On behalf of VAST, Prof. Dr. Chu Hoang Ha - Vice President, was pleased to welcome and sincerely thank Ms. Lidia Brito for taking time out of her busy schedule in Vietnam to visit the International Center for Physics (ICP) and the International Center for Research and Training in Mathematics (ICRTM) (Centers of Type II under the auspices of UNESCO) under the Institute of Physics and the Institute of Mathematics, VAST.

Prof. Dr. Chu Hoang Ha - Vice President happily welcomed and respectfully thanked Ms. Lidia Brito for taking the time in a series of exciting activities in Vietnam to visit VAST

ICP and ICRTM were formed on the basis of the Agreement between the Government of Vietnam and UNESCO in 2017. Since then, VAST has been actively supported by UNESCO, the Government of Vietnam and relevant ministries in terms of procedures, funding and human resources to successfully complete the objectives of the Type II Center: organizing research and training in Mathematics and Physics at international level through classes, conferences and workshops; sponsoring young talents of Vietnam, Southeast Asia, and some countries in the African region. At the same time, initially organizing groups and implementing research topics to build strong research groups, reaching regional and international levels, focusing on the participation of foreign physicists and mathematicians.

Some of the outstanding results in 74 research projects and 56 publications in prestigious international journals, including Nature and Physical Review Letters, implemented by ICP and images of dozens of international conferences organized by ICRTM with the participation of hundreds of students from 20 countries or community activities and policy consulting on science and technology.

 

Some photos of Vice President Chu Hoang Ha received Ms. Lidia Brito and the delegation

Public lectures, scientific exhibitions and events to raise awareness of the importance of mathematics and physics in solving global challenges were shared by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dinh Van Trung, Director of ICP and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Thi Ha Duong, Director of ICRTM with Ms. Lidia Brito and delegates attending the meeting. With the results achieved in the past time, VAST expressed its wish that UNESCO would continue to support and sponsor the activities of ICP and ICRTM. In addition, it can create conditions for VAST in particular and Vietnam in general to build and develop other Type II Centers related to biodiversity or hydrology.

 

After the reception of Vice President Ms. Lidia Brito and the UNESCO delegation, representatives of the two Centers, Associate Professor Dr. Dinh Van Trung, Director of ICP and Associate Professor Dr. Phan Thi Ha Duong, Director of ICRTM, reported specifically on the activities of ICP and ICRTM

A souvenir photo at the end of the meeting

Ms. Lidia Brito said that UNESCO has developed the International Program on Basic Sciences to promote multilateral international cooperation in strengthening national capacities in basic sciences and science education. In 2022, the United Nations General Assembly declared the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development to encourage Member States and relevant organizations and individuals to raise awareness of the importance of basic sciences for sustainable development, in line with national priorities. Subsequently, the Resolution on the “Decade of Science for Sustainable Development 2024-2033” was adopted by the General Assembly in August 2023. Therefore, the results achieved by the ICP and ICRTM in the past time are very important for a national research unit like the Academy as well as a developing country like Vietnam.

UNESCO supports the continued development of effective Centre as well as the development of other Type II Centre, particularly in the fields of ecology and water resources, sustainable management and use of natural resources, and climate change response.

In particular, Ms. Lidia Brito was very pleased to see many female scientists participating in the activities of the two Centers as well as knowing that the proportion of female scientists accounts for nearly 50% at VAST and assessed VAST as a typical example of implementing gender equality in science; actively promoting UNESCO's call for action on gender equality and the "Women in Science" program initiated by UNESCO in Vietnam; contributing to reducing the gender gap in the field of science.

On this occasion, she introduced many UNESCO scientific programs such as “UNESCO Science Diplomacy” to enhance international cooperation and diplomatic efforts to solve global challenges; “UNESCO Equipment initiative” to share equipment and scientific facilities between countries to help bridge the gap in scientific development between countries in the South-South or South-North hemispheres, and proposed that VAST research, participate in and promote this program.

Also within the framework of the working session, Ms. Lidia Brito and the UNESCO delegation spent time visiting the Institute of Mathematics and the Institute of Physics - the units in charge of the activities of ICRTM and ICP, and highly appreciated VAST's investment and support for the two Centers and hoped that they would continue to develop and make many achievements in the future.

Ms. Lidia Brito and the UNESCO delegation spent time visiting the Institute of Mathematics and the Institute of Physics – the units hosting the activities of ICRTM and ICP

With appreciation for Ms. Lidia Brito's assessment, VAST hopes that UNESCO will continue to support the implementation of the two Centers' activities in particular and multilateral cooperation activities in science and technology in general; promote scientific development in Vietnam and the region; contribute to the implementation of UNESCO's scientific programs, towards realizing the sustainable development goals initiated by UNESCO.

 

Translated by Quoc Khanh
Link to Vietnamese version



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