CỔNG THÔNG TIN KINH TẾ VIỆT NAM

Promoting int’l science and technology cooperation (09/5)

09/05/2013 - 13 Lượt xem

MOST’s International Cooperation Department Director Mai Ha said international cooperation and integration was an integral part of science and technology activities and offers an important channel to mobilize external knowledge, technology and financial resources to boost scientific and technological development in Vietnam. Through multilateral forums, international cooperation also continues to play an important role in accelerating Vietnam’s integration.

So far, Vietnam has promoted relations with nearly 70 countries and become a member of 100 international scientific or technological organizations. It has signed and implemented more than 80 cooperation protocols at governmental and ministerial levels. Through cooperation with countries such as Russia, the US, Japan, Germany and Finland, Vietnam has reached cooperation agreements in the fields of biotechnology, advanced materials technology, space technology, atomic energy and renewable energy, and cooperation projects helping Vietnam improve its capabilities. Specifically, Vietnam has signed human resource development cooperation agreements with Germany and Hungary. Notable cooperation projects include the Vietnam-Finland Innovation Partnership Program (IPP) which offers the MOST a five million euro grant aid from the Finnish Government.

From now to 2020, Vietnam will boost international cooperation based on a plan approved by the Prime Minister via Decision 735/QD-TTg. The main objective of international cooperation is to contribute to turning Vietnam into a strong country in certain scientific areas by 2020 through efforts to reduce the quality gap between Vietnam and the world; build a contingent of scientists capable of directly participating in scientific and technological activities of the region and the world in certain priority areas; by 2020 it is hoped that some Vietnamese organizations or businesses working in certain key priority areas will be capable to cooperate with foreign partners in promoting technological innovation.

The MOST is actively designing three important programs including a program to promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the field of R&D focusing on world leading science based economies such as the US, Germany, Japan, Russia, the Republic of Korea (RoK), Chinese Taipei, the EU, and ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations); a program aimed at promoting Vietnam’s connection to transcontinental science and technology information networks with the Vietnam Research and Education Network (VinaREN) being an example; and a program aimed at promoting the transfer of foreign technologies to Vietnam.

In the time to come, major international cooperation events will be organized to make Vietnam an attractive destination for foreign and overseas Vietnamese scientists. Cooperation with major partners such as Russia, Germany, the UK, Japan, the US and the RoK will be expanded through large projects with the participation of research institutes, highly-qualified scientists and businesses which are interested in technology transfer. The MOST will promote cooperation with diverse foreign partners including ministries in the fields of economics and industry, investment funds and multinational groups. Official Development Assistance (ODA) will be utilized more effectively and on the basis of the country’s scientific and technology development strategy.

However, Mai Ha said international cooperation activities have revealed some problems. Specifically, Vietnam remains passive in cooperation with foreign partners; localities have not been active in promoting international cooperation and integration in the field; Vietnam’s budget for implementing cooperation projects is still limited. Therefore, it is necessary to increase coordination between ministries and sectors, especially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Government Office, in order to prioritize international cooperation projects. In addition, Vietnam must encourage foreign businesses to establish Research and Development (R&D) centers or technological innovation centers in the country. The government must help localities improve their international integration capabilities in the field by helping them make international integration plans, send people working in the sector abroad and take part in implementing international cooperation projects./.

Source: VietnamNet.