Professor Chu Tuan Nha dedicated his entire life to the development of science and technology in Vietnam.

The mark of a great intellectual.

Professor Chu Tuan Nha was born on January 10, 1939, in Co Nhue Ward, Bac Tu Liem District, Hanoi (now Nghia Do Ward, Hanoi). He was one of the exemplary intellectuals who emerged from the self-reliance spirit of the early generation building the nation.

Professor Chu Tuan Nha.

Professor Chu Tuan Nha began his career in August 1962 and, in October 1964, had the honor of joining the Communist Party of Vietnam . He dedicated over 42 years to higher education, science, technology, and the environment, including 21 years working with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, now the Ministry of Science and Technology.

His career began on the giảng platform of Hanoi University of Technology in 1962. Shortly after, he was sent to study in Poland, a crucial turning point that opened up a systematic academic journey, fostering scientific thinking modeled after that of Eastern European countries at the time. Upon returning to Vietnam, he continued teaching at the University of Mining and Geology and was soon entrusted with important responsibilities: Party Secretary and Vice Rector of the University.

From 1983 onwards, his talent and capabilities continued to be affirmed as he held many important positions at the State Committee for Science and Technology, and then at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment.

From 1997 to 2002, he served as Minister of Science, Technology and Environment. Following organizational restructuring, he became Minister of Science and Technology, leading the science and technology sector during a pivotal period of reform and integration.

In 2003, he was appointed Chairman of the National Science and Technology Policy Council to advise the Prime Minister on important issues related to the development of science and technology in the country.

Looking back at his life and career, it is clear that Professor Chu Tuan Nha was one of the intellectuals whose journey spanned from teaching and research to scientific management, leaving a profound mark both in academia and in the reform of the national science and technology system.

With over four decades of dedication, Professor Chu Tuan Nha is not only a scientist, but also a teacher, administrator, and a major policy maker.

He laid the foundation for modern Vietnamese science and technology.

During his tenure as Minister, Professor Chu Tuan Nha was one of the key figures who laid the foundation for the modern science, technology, and environment policy system that Vietnam operates today. He made extensive contributions in many areas:

Key Strategy and Policy Development: Professor Chu Tuan Nha directly supervised and participated in the development of many important strategies, creating the foundation for science and technology to become a driving force for socio-economic development. In particular, Professor Chu Tuan Nha played a prominent role in the formation of fundamental legal documents such as the Law on Science and Technology, the Law on Environmental Protection, and numerous decrees, circulars, and management policies related to research, technology transfer, and the development of science and technology potential. These legal documents are significant in establishing a system and creating mechanisms for scientific activities to be applied in practical production and daily life.

Reforming the scientific management mechanism: Professor Chu Tuan Nha is one of the key contributors to the reform of the management mechanism, focusing on: respecting research, reducing administrative procedures, using the effectiveness of application as a measure, and encouraging linkages between research institutes, universities, and businesses. These reforms created momentum for the applied research movement, bringing many scientific topics closer to production and becoming a prerequisite for further profound reforms.

Prime Minister Phan Van Khai at work

with the National Science and Technology Policy Council, 2003.

Building national scientific and technological potential: Professor Chu Tuan Nha paid special attention to the training and development of scientific personnel. Under his leadership, Vietnam established key national laboratories, modern research facilities, and fundamental scientific institutions that continue to be upgraded and effectively utilized to this day.

Promoting international cooperation and integration: With his experience studying and working abroad, and his keen insight into the context of integration, Professor Chu Tuan Nha laid the foundation for many large-scale international science and technology cooperation programs. He held many important diplomatic positions such as: Vice Chairman of the Vietnam National UNESCO Committee, Chairman of the Vietnam-America Friendship Association, Chairman of the Vietnam-Poland Friendship Association, contributing to expanding cooperative relations between Vietnam and international friends in the fields of science, education, and culture.

Throughout his career, Professor Chu Tuan Nha has been a familiar face on a series of important councils, such as: Chairman of the National Science and Technology Policy Council, Vice Chairman of the State Committee for Science and Technology, Member of the National Council for Education, Vice Chairman of the State Council for Academic Titles, Vice Chairman of the Council for Mineral Reserve Assessment… Each position reflects Professor Chu Tuan Nha's determination and dedication to selecting, evaluating, and developing the country's intellectual resources.

For a scientist and administrator like Professor Chu Tuan Nha, contribution lies not in grand pronouncements, but in persistent, quiet yet effective mechanisms, strategies, and policies—the crucial "building blocks" that create a solid foundation for modern Vietnamese science and technology.

Farewell to a great personality, a life dedicated to science.

Despite receiving dedicated care from professors, doctors, and nurses, and attentive support from family, colleagues, and friends, Professor Chu Tuan Nha passed away at 5:31 AM on December 1, 2025 (corresponding to the 12th day of the 10th lunar month of the Year of the Snake) at his home, at the age of 87.

Professor Chu Tuan Nha's enduring contributions and unwavering dedication have been recognized by the Party and State with prestigious awards: the Second-Class Independence Order, the First-Class Labor Order, the Third-Class Resistance Order, the Medal for the Cause of Science and Technology, the Medal for Peace and Friendship Among Nations, medals for the Cause of Construction, for the Cause of Transportation, and for Scientific and Technological Innovation, and the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (Krzyz2 Komandorski order). He was also awarded the 60-Year Party Membership Badge, a testament to a life of unwavering loyalty, dedication, and integrity.

Those who worked with Professor Chu Tuan Nha always remember him with respect. Professor Chu Tuan Nha embodied the qualities of a great intellectual: knowledge, responsibility, honesty, and humility.

For Vietnam's science and technology sector, the name of Professor Chu Tuan Nha will forever be associated with the period of laying the foundation for a modern science and technology management system, a period of transformation from a centrally planned economy to a mechanism of application, innovation, and international integration.

Professor Chu Tuan Nha's greatest legacy is not just the legal documents, national programs, or key laboratories he built. His legacy is his belief that Vietnamese intellect can reach far; that science and technology must serve humanity and the nation; and that the dedication and integrity of officials are timeless values.

Professor Chu Tuan Nha has passed away, but his legacy continues to be inherited, continued, and developed by the science and technology sector. His life will forever be an example of an intellectual who dedicated his entire life to knowledge, science, and the future of the country.

Some photos of Professor Chu Tuan Nha (photos provided by his family):