A delegation from the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) led by its Professor Chau Van Minh, paid a working visit to Laos from March 6-9, to promote scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries. Bounnhang Volachit, Lao Politburo member and Vice State President, warmly received the delegation on March 8. He passed on his congratulations on the success of Vietnam 11 th Party Congress and announced that Laos was well advanced with preparations for 9 th National Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. At the reception, Bounnhang Volachit also highly valued cooperation between VAST and the Lao National Committee of Science and Technology and expressed his hope that the two parties would further strengthen their cooperation, as well as exchange experiences on scientific research to promote the two nations' development. Professor Minh said that his visit was expected to foster comprehensive cooperation in the fields of science and technology … [Read more...] about Vietnam, Laos promote sci-tech cooperation
Sci tech
Strengthening sci-tech center capability
(VEN) - The fifth meeting of scientific and technological application centers of centrally governed provinces and cities recently took place in Lang Son Province. Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh said on the meeting's sidelines that apart from solutions of strengthening equipment bases of scientific and technological application centers, the Ministry of Science and Technology has found solutions to improve operational efficiency of these centers. Vietnam Economic News' Quynh Nga spoke with him to learn about the centers' operations and difficulties. Scientific and technological application center capability, infrastructure, human resources and contributions to socioeconomic development have all improved. Statistics show that technological consulting and service transfer contracts increased strongly in terms of quantity and value. However, this had not satisfied socioeconomic development demands in localities. Many scientific and technological application … [Read more...] about Strengthening sci-tech center capability
Public sci-tech agencies stumble trying to stand on their feet
Public research and development (R&D) organizations that are trying to become financially self-sufficient by the end of this year are having a tough time making any headway. Government Decree No.115, which was announced in 2005, requires all public sci-tech organizations to finance themselves by December 2009 by focusing on practical research with commercial applications. However, the organizations whose plans for transformation have been approved, are facing a wall of bureaucratic shortcomings and practical realities. Ho Chi Minh City’s Center for Experiment Analysis (CASE) is one example. Although it has registered as a commercial business, CASE has been refused the preferential income tax rate that the decree allows and that applies to any newly formed company. Explaining its refusal, the HCMC Tax Office said the center was not a new company but merely an organization with a changed management structure, CASE director Dinh Cong Tuan said. The center then turned … [Read more...] about Public sci-tech agencies stumble trying to stand on their feet
Sci-tech Minister: “Investment needs to increase five times”
VietNamNet Bridge - Dr. Nguyen Quan, newly-appointed Minister of Science and Technology, says that it is necessary to increase investment in sci-tech field by 4-5 times to have scientific products which meet expectations.The new cabinet There are four key missions. The first is well implementing national goals, for example the hi-tech development program. Secondly, the Ministry of Science and Technology will focus on working out a new financial policy on sci-tech activities. The third is continuing the self-responsible mechanism and gradually giving the complete autonomy to sci-tech organizations in order to build the system of sci-tech businesses. The fourth is implementing well national level sci-tech projects to create products of highly technical values. This is the top priority. In your opinion, how is the position of Vietnam's science and technology in the world? In Southeast Asia, Vietnam is at the same level with the Philippines and Indonesia - the average - and a … [Read more...] about Sci-tech Minister: “Investment needs to increase five times”
National key laboratory system — in need of sci-tech breakthrough
Vietnam has invested more than VND1.2 trillion ($70.6 million) in 19 key laboratories, but some labs say they lack a suitable operating mechanism while some others say they don’t have qualified human resources. Because of these shortages, some key laboratories work ineffectively. According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, the state installed the most modern equipment in these laboratories so these national laboratories need to have sci-tech breakthroughs. In 2001, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the Ministry of Finance issued regulations to choose the developer of national key laboratories. The scheme to build 19 key labs was worked out. These labs are designed to serve six fields of basic science: biotechnology, information technology, material technology, mechanics-automation, petrochemistry and infrastructure. Of 19 key labs, 14 are based at ministries, 3 at businesses, and 2 at institutes. According to the … [Read more...] about National key laboratory system — in need of sci-tech breakthrough