Issuing the National Science, Technology and Innovation Assessment Index Framework

The Ministry of Science and Technology has just issued Decision No. 2796/QD-BKHCN dated September 19, 2025 on the "Indicator Framework for Monitoring and Evaluating National Science, Technology and Innovation Potential and Level". This is an important tool for comparing Vietnam with upper-middle-income countries as required by Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW dated December 22, 2024 of the Politburo.

The index framework is built on the basis of selecting indicators in the Global Innovation Index (GII ) published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO); science and technology fields published annually by SCImago, with the participation of Vietnam and other countries, especially upper middle-income countries.

The selected indicators ensure similarity, have clear concepts and connotations, have calculation methods, and have official data sources, and are published by reputable international organizations.

The index framework was built to form a toolkit to monitor and evaluate the implementation results of the goal " By 2030, the potential, level of science , technology and innovation will reach advanced levels in many important fields, among the leading groups in upper-middle-income countries " in Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW dated December 22, 2024 of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation.

The index framework is structured into two parts: Framework for assessing science, technology and innovation potential; and Framework for assessing science, technology and innovation level.

In which, the Framework for assessing science, technology and innovation potential is selected from the GII index set with 35/78 GII indexes, including 19 input indexes and 16 output indexes.

The meaning, content, calculation method, data source and results of these indicators are taken from the GII report published annually by WIPO. The ranking results will be used to analyze and evaluate Vietnam's science, technology and innovation potential, compared with upper middle-income countries.

The indicators reflect from human resources in science and technology, investment in research and development (R&D), university capacity, to innovative start-up activities and venture capital. For example, the indicators: Graduates in science and engineering; Researchers; Total expenditure on research and development (GERD) % of GDP; Average research and development expenditure of the top 3 companies with overseas investment; Average score of the top 3 universities in the QS ranking; Finance for innovative start-ups and expansion; Number of venture capital deals made by investors; Number of people (enterprises) receiving venture capital; R&D expenditure by enterprises (% of GDP)…

The framework for assessing the level of science, technology and innovation selects 16/27 specific fields (level 2) ranked annually by SCImago. These are important fields in which Vietnam has strengths and is prioritizing development. On that basis, an assessment and comparison will be conducted between Vietnam and other countries, especially upper middle-income countries.

The fields that Vietnam chooses to assess the level of science, technology and innovation include: Natural sciences, including 5 fields; Science and technology; Medical sciences; Agricultural sciences; Social sciences; Humanities, including 01 field: Arts and humanities.

The issuance of the Index Framework is one of the tasks in Resolution No. 71/NQ-CP dated April 1, 2025 of the Government on amending and supplementing the Action Program to implement Resolution No. 57 of the Politburo. This is an important basis for ministries and branches to synchronously deploy, aiming to develop the potential of science, technology and innovation, serving the target of double-digit economic growth in the coming years. In particular, linking the target of comparison with the group of upper-middle-income countries will help Vietnam have a clear direction in improving its competitiveness.

Source: https://mst.gov.vn/ban-hanh-khung-chi-so-danh-gia-khoa-hoc-cong-nghe-va-doi-moi-sang-tao-quoc-gia-197251004123632287.htm