Hanoi opens its doors to attract talented people

This policy not only concretizes Article 16 of the 2024 Capital Law, but is also expected to create a strong push, removing bottlenecks in the use of high-quality human resources so that talented people can make real contributions to the development of the Capital.

Scientific research at University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH).

Policy breakthrough

As a major center of politics , economics, education, science and technology, Hanoi has a particularly high demand for quality human resources, especially in the fields of science, technology and innovation. Hanoi concentrates a large number of leading intellectuals in the country, many of whom have international qualifications. However, in reality, the team of elite experts, especially those with the ability to lead, transfer technology and connect internationally, is still lacking.

The city has yet to attract leading experts or individuals with breakthrough initiatives to work in public agencies and units. Current policies have not yet brought about clear results. The main reasons come from insufficiently flexible mechanisms, cumbersome administrative procedures, unprofessional working environments and the lack of a long-term strategy for using intellectuals.

Therefore, building a separate, clear mechanism for attracting high-quality human resources is a necessary step. The new draft resolution will target two main groups of subjects: Vietnamese citizens (domestic and foreign) with outstanding capacity and foreign experts with high qualifications and projects that have been effectively applied. The forms of attraction are flexibly designed, from signing work contracts, research cooperation, technology transfer, consulting to participating in scientific councils...

A breakthrough in the policy is to allow leaders to directly select experts according to the needs of the unit. This mechanism will shorten administrative processes, increase initiative and help units find the right person for the right job.

The remuneration is designed to be internationally competitive, with an agreed income based on job requirements, with reference to the salary levels of international organizations or foreign enterprises. In addition, experts will be supported with airfare, accommodation (up to 50 million VND/month), working equipment, secretaries, translation and will be given access to modern laboratories and deep participation in key innovation programs.

To help talented people maximize their abilities

According to experts, an effective policy cannot stop at the level of treatment but needs to be consistent from thinking to action. The key issue is to create a real working mechanism for talented people to maximize their abilities.

Dr. Duong Thi Thanh Mai, former Director of the Institute of Legal Science, now the Institute of Strategy and Legal Science (Ministry of Justice), said that the draft Resolution detailing a number of specific policies for the development of science, technology and innovation has many breakthroughs. However, she also said that it is necessary to clarify some contents to improve feasibility. Specifically, it is necessary to clearly identify which areas are strategic priorities to attract experts. "It is impossible to spread out or follow trends. Hanoi needs to base on the city's development orientation, from which to identify key sectors that need leaders, such as: Core technology, artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, smart cities and digital transformation," Dr. Duong Thi Thanh Mai expressed.

In addition, Hanoi also needs to clarify the role of experts: Do we only need people who are good at research or do we need people who are both good at research and have the ability to lead interdisciplinary programs, have worked in international ecosystems, advanced research labs, have strategic criticism skills and policy advice?

According to Dr. Duong Thi Thanh Mai, experts need to be assigned specific tasks, with real autonomy. "Their rights and obligations must be demonstrated through clear ordering contracts. They need to preside over laboratories, interdisciplinary research and development (R&D) programs, use committed budgets, and choose their collaborators," Dr. Duong Thi Thanh Mai stated her opinion.

Financially, policies need to be flexible and fair. In particular, profit sharing from commercialization of research products should be allowed; the “one public - one private” model, which is popular in the world, should be applied. Specifically, experts can work at state organizations but are still allowed to invest, found spin-off businesses, and participate in innovative startup projects, as long as there is no conflict of interest.

Sharing the same view, Prof. Dr. Bui Thi Minh Hong, a Vietnamese scientist who was invited by VinUni University from the University of Birmingham (UK) on a red carpet, shared: “As a scientist returning from abroad, the first thing I care about is that the unit has a big vision and is solving really challenging problems. Scientists do not look for ease, they want to try new things, learn, and be creative. Therefore, building a research ecosystem with clear goals, large enough scale, and social significance is the deciding factor. In my opinion, remuneration is necessary but not the deciding factor. Good people will come if they see the opportunity to make real contributions and work in an environment that respects scientific values.”

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/ha-noi-mo-rong-canh-cua-thu-hut-nguoi-tai-709786.html