To realize the goal of breakthroughs in higher education in the spirit of Politburo Resolution 71, it is necessary to focus on the two urgent issues of financial policy and university autonomy, as stated by Assoc Prof Dr Phan Thanh Binh, former Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture, Education, Youth, Adolescents, and Children.
Regarding finance, training costs must be calculated correctly and fully, with the State playing a leading role. The budget for higher education needs to be increased and prioritized for key technology sectors. Public-private partnerships should be strongly encouraged (the state can provide matching funds for joint research projects or tax incentives for businesses investing in universities). Flexible education credit programs should serve as levers to help students and schools develop sustainably.
University autonomy coupled with accountability is essential for innovation, mirroring successes in Singapore and the Republic of Korea. Assoc Prof Dr Phan Thanh Binh stresses that harmonizing state investment, autonomy, and public-private partnerships is critical. This synergy transforms higher education into a powerful launchpad for developing the nation's strategic technology human resources.
Politburo Resolution 71 mandates increasing higher education funding to 3 percent of the state budget by 2028. This target aims to build infrastructure, boost publications, and attract 2,000 international lecturers by 2030.
Vice President Thai Doan Thanh of HCMC University of Industry and Trade emphasizes this requires “smart investment”, focusing on quality and economic links rather than just quantity. He believes this resolution marks a turning point for Vietnam to develop human resources that lead strategic technology.
Assoc Prof Dr Vu Hai Quan, Standing Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, emphasizes the “Triple Helix” model (State-School-Enterprise collaboration) as vital for turning knowledge into national wealth. This requires substantive linkage where parties share responsibilities rather than mere coordination.
Effective operation depends on three core elements of firm political commitment treating cooperation as a national strategy; clear policies regarding cost-sharing and intellectual property rights; and university autonomy paired with accountability to enhance governance.
Crucially, success relies on building a culture of trust and shared benefits rather than pursuing individual interests. This holistic cooperation is the driving force for scientific innovation and development.
Citing successes in the Republic of Korea and China, Assoc Prof Dr Vu Hai Quan argues this model is viable for developing economies. He suggests Vietnam implement it at key universities with strong state-business support. This three-party cooperation is essential to link science with production, ensuring education aligns with business needs and transforming knowledge into a direct driver of national development.
Dr Hoang Ngoc Vinh, former Director of the Department of Professional Education (Ministry of Education and Training), argues that Vietnam’s R&D investment is critically low, at 0.53 percent of GDP, far behind nations like the Republic of Korea (4.8 percent) and Israel (5.4 percent). This underfunding weakens university research capabilities.
Citing Singapore with its A*STAR Fund to attract US$1.5-2 for each $1 spent, he emphasizes that public investment must be leveraged to attract private capital, a mechanism Vietnam currently lacks. Therefore, he proposes legalizing a target to raise R&D spending to 1 percent of GDP by 2030, with specific allocations for universities and businesses.
Furthermore, to make the State-School-Enterprise triangle operational, Vietnam requires a powerful coordinating institution similar to Germany’s Fraunhofer Society. The absence of such a central body with budget and accountability authority currently results in ineffective, disjointed activities across the sector.
A feasible solution is to develop Tech Markets at national and regional levels. These serve as convergence points for research results, patents, prototypes, and business needs. Through Tech Markets, scientists can offer technology, businesses can find solutions, and the state can measure market value.
Vietnam National University-Hanoi President Hoang Minh Son argues that breakthrough innovation relies on high-quality talent. He highlights that STEM graduates are essential for diverse sectors like semiconductors and nuclear power due to their adaptability for quick retraining. To attract students to these critical fields, he emphasizes the persuasive power of transparent information regarding job opportunities, scholarships, and supportive state policies.
As stated by experts in the field, Vietnam needs to comprehensively digitize the technology market, integrating patent-standard-certification databases operated by an independent intermediary with the participation of professional associations. This will not only help large enterprises but also pave the way for small and medium enterprises to access technology.
Parallel to this, large technology corporations like Viettel, VNPT, FPT, etc., need to go beyond the role of customers to become seed sowers of talent. This is the model successfully implemented by Samsung, Huawei, and TSMC, turning talent into strategic assets. If Vietnamese enterprises can do this, they will solve their own human resource problems while contributing to nurturing the national human resource strategy.
