The strategy signals that science, technology, and innovation all play important roles in developing key industries in Vietnam, with a focus on processing and manufacturing industries (to reach the proportion of at least 45 percent), in order to restructure the national economy to be more modern in 2030; in the active participation of Vietnam in Industry 4.0.
To achieve the goals in the strategy, it is necessary to boost scientific-technological and innovative activities, nationwide, to establish a national innovative ecosystem that can closely linked to its counterparts in the region and the world.
Therefore, the Government has planned to build a system of national, regional, and sectoral innovative centers, startup support centers that connect to hi-tech zones, residential areas, financial centers, venture capital funds, universities, and research institutes in order to form innovative clusters.
Another key mission in the strategy is to develop capable scientific human resources with a high level of innovation; enhance their computer and foreign language skills. This should be achieved at an early schooling stage via the participation in practical projects at school, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) training. Proper career guidance and counseling on science pursuance at school and university should also be taken care of.
In addition, the Government emphasizes on building highly qualified scientific human resources, including leading scientists that can match the level of their counterparts in developed nations.
This is fulfilled via further training of the scientific human resources of prioritized fields in countries of advanced scientific level; the introduction of policies and mechanisms to financially support and facilitate immigration as well as labor permit procedures for overseas Vietnamese or foreigners who participate in domestic scientific activities; and the development of a network to connect talented overseas Vietnamese scientists.
Simultaneously, there must be a policy to send Vietnamese laborers to multi-national corporations, foreign startups for experience gaining before returning to work in the country. Outdated policies must be amended to create favorable conditions for lectures and researchers to regularly join in scientific-technological and innovative activities in businesses.
