During the discussion session on February 17, Deputy Nguyễn Lân Hiếu (Bình Định) provided feedback on the Resolution piloting policies to address obstacles in science and technology activities, innovation, and digital transformation. He emphasized the need to clearly differentiate between basic research and applied research in the implementation and evaluation of scientific research projects, as their objectives, methodologies, and final outcomes differ significantly.
Breakthrough Policies Needed for New Directions
According to him, the purpose of basic research is to build a sustainable scientific foundation that aligns with regional and global standards. Conducting such research requires significant investment in both human resources and infrastructure, with success measured by inventions and patents.
“The risk of failure in this area is quite high, and investments are costly in terms of time and money. As a result, we rarely see budget allocations for this type of research,” the deputy noted.
Acknowledging recent efforts by some corporations and companies to fund research initiatives with moderate success, Deputy Nguyễn Lân Hiếu proposed adopting private-sector methods for selecting and evaluating basic research projects.
He suggested allocating a specific percentage of the national budget, such as 30% for basic research and 70% for applied research. “We must boldly invest and accept failures if we want to keep pace with other countries in the region,” Mr. Hiếu stated.
Additionally, he stressed the importance of groundbreaking policies to pursue new directions in scientific research.
As an example, he highlighted the challenges of establishing an animal laboratory in Vietnam. Through interactions with organizations and individuals conducting experiments on animals in Thailand, Singapore, and China, Mr. Hiếu observed initial enthusiasm often waning due to complex bureaucratic procedures.
“I believe only the government has the capacity to establish Vietnam’s first animal laboratory. While this could be a hallmark of the resolution, with a budget of 500 billion VND earmarked for key laboratories, this possibility remains distant,” the deputy shared.
Addressing policies to attract and develop high-quality human resources, Deputy Hoàng Minh Hiếu (Nghệ An) emphasized the urgency of this issue, as personnel are fundamental to advancing new science and technology sectors.
He argued for policies enabling businesses and research centers to recruit Vietnamese experts abroad and international specialists to train and nurture talent in Vietnam through measures like visa support, tax exemptions, and other incentives.
Deputy Nguyễn Lân Hiếu also agreed on the need for more effective policies to utilize talent in scientific research.
He pointed out the cumbersome regulations involved in appointing department heads in certain institutions. “I hope this resolution will pave new pathways to attract passionate young people to contribute to national scientific and technological advancements,” he said.
Research Involves Risk
Elaborating on the deputies’ comments, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng explained that research inherently involves risk and is a high-risk investment area.
He noted that this Resolution pilots a mechanism of funding research without requiring a commitment to final results.
The government will manage by evaluating research stages to continue funding and assessing research institutions with successful outcomes to assign further projects. Additionally, the Resolution allows the government to allocate funds for research through a fund mechanism. It stipulates exemption from civil liability and repayment of funds if research does not yield expected results.
Regarding the distinction between basic and applied research, Mr. Hùng hopes this Resolution will introduce different policies and mechanisms to facilitate both fields, alongside increasing the state budget allocation for science and technology from 1% to at least 2%, as mandated by the Law on Science and Technology.
Highlighting the current reality, where R&D spending is at 0.5% of GDP—only a quarter of the 2% GDP target—Mr. Hùng stressed the need for breakthrough policies and mechanisms to encourage businesses to engage in R&D.
On commercializing research outcomes, the Minister acknowledged this as a significant bottleneck. For research to contribute to socio-economic development, its results must be commercialized, according to Mr. Hùng.
This Resolution permits research institutions to own and autonomously decide on the commercialization of research outcomes immediately after completion. Researchers are entitled to at least 30% of commercialization proceeds and may participate in enterprise management.
According to the Minister, these are robust policies for commercializing research outcomes.
“When research outcomes are commercialized, the state collects taxes, creates jobs, and advances the nation’s scientific and technological capabilities. This is an indirect way for the state to recoup investments in science and technology,” the Minister emphasized.
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