Vietnam will leap forward if it knows to improve foreign technology

International experts believe that Vietnam should not worry about dependence on foreign science and technology. If innovation and simulation are good, Vietnam will achieve a leap in technology.

This statement was made at the international conference on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) of Vietnam in the 2011-2020 period, which was held by the Ministry of Science and Technology and Industrial Development Organization organized by the United Nations.

Mr. Patrick Gilabert, UNIDO Chief Representative in Vietnam,
speaking at the STI conference on October 5. (Photo: Minh Long)

National and international experts analyzed the shortcomings in the field of science and technology in Vietnam. They acknowledge the productivity of low science and technology organizations. The structure of these organizations (by region and area) is unreasonable. The motivation for research and innovation is weak. The capacity of Vietnamese enterprises to acquire public is not high. Most businesses do not take advantage of external sources of knowledge and technology (such as technology from foreign companies).

Professor Henri Dou, director of the Strategic Intelligence Innovation Organization Atelis of the University of Business and Management in France, attended the conference as a member of the international advisory board. He said Vietnamese businesses should not be too worried about the state of the domestic industry depending too much on foreign technology today. Most developing countries must depend on foreign technology in the early stages. For example, from the 1960s to the 1980s, Korea also had to simulate foreign technology to expand light industries, develop import-substituting industries. But today Korea's gross domestic product ranks 10th in the world.

Professor Henri Dou, a member of the national advisory board
on Vietnam's science, technology and innovation strategy. (Photo: Minh Long)

"It is important that Vietnamese businesses can improve foreign technology to make a profit. If all Vietnamese businesses have the motivation and gain the benefits in improving foreign technology. , the technological leap will take place very quickly and Vietnam will achieve its goal of becoming an industrialized country , ' he commented.

Another situation mentioned by experts is that investment in science and technology in our country is both low and widespread and inefficient. Policymakers are divided. For example, the Ministry of Science and Technology is responsible for setting up science and technology strategy, but it must coordinate with Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Home Affairs.

Links between institutes, schools and businesses in Vietnam are relatively weak. For example, many businesses associate with universities only to get interns, but have never received a university study for commercialization. Research institutes have too few practical products, forcing businesses to seek technology from outside or outsourcing. A representative of Vietnam Electronic Business Association affirmed that during the past few decades, researchers have rarely transferred technology to enterprises. Therefore, enterprises can only process products for foreign countries with low profits (from 5 to 10%).

Delegates discussed with conference attendees. (Photo: Minh Long)

Economics professor Martin Fransman, director of the Japan-Europe Technology Research Institute of Edinburgh University in the UK, points out a series of issues of Vietnamese technology. According to him, Vietnam currently has 1,320 research institutions, of which 694 are state owned. But in fact, only a few state-owned organizations are really effective and innovative.

Meanwhile, the draft Strategy, Science, Technology and New Strategy aims to establish 3,000 science and technology enterprises by 2015 and bring this number to 10,000 by 2020. Mr. Shin Taeyoung, Vice Chairman of the Commission The Korean Science and Technology department and a member of the international advisory board said that Vietnam should not be too focused on the number of technology enterprises. Every state can create a science and technology enterprise by order, but the market is the deciding factor whether those businesses exist and create scientific inventions.

According to Mr. Shin, if you want to see real changes in the future, the Vietnamese government must act urgently and thoroughly. The first step is to create a favorable environment for the birth and development of science and technology companies. The government also needs institutional reforms for research institutes and universities to become a strong support force for businesses. Creating motivation for businesses to reach the world market is also an important direction, because in order to survive in the international environment, of course businesses will have to constantly innovate technology to increase competitiveness.