Developing scientific and technological products and innovation is the driving force for local socio -economic development.

Driven by science and technology

Since 2021, when Resolution 07-NQ/TU of the Thua Thien Hue Provincial Party Committee (now the Hue City Party Committee) was issued, the orientation to build Hue into a major science and technology center of the country was soon concretized with practical programs and policies. The science and technology sector at that time also determined that science and technology not only serves research, but must be closely linked to practical needs, production, people's lives, and businesses. Each topic and project must contribute to solving specific local problems in socio-economic development.

In the period of 2020 - 2025, 13 national-level S&T tasks were implemented in Hue, 14 city-level topics/projects were accepted, along with many projects under the Mountainous Rural Program that brought practical results in highland, coastal areas, and ethnic minorities. Not only helping to transfer technology, these projects also connect value chains, creating brands for many Hue specialties, such as cajuput oil, pomelo, beef noodle soup, Hue lotus, Hue ao dai, etc.

According to Ms. Tran Thi Thuy Yen, Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology, Hue is promoting the development of science and technology according to market mechanisms, taking enterprises as the center of innovation. Activities such as technological innovation, process improvement, exploitation of intellectual property, support for startups, etc. are all aimed at supporting enterprises to master technology and improve production and business capacity.

A clear demonstration is the support for enterprises to participate in State-level science and technology projects; advising the Hue City People's Committee to include the High-Tech Park Project in the City Planning to form one of the country's model science parks, leading in scientific research, technology development combined with high-quality university education in medicine, pharmaceutical chemistry, biotechnology, heritage conservation... Not stopping at research and application, Hue has also proactively honored and encouraged intellectuals through the Ancient Capital Award for Science and Technology, the Hue Ancient Capital Women's Creativity Award, honoring typical intellectuals of science and technology, honoring works that bring practical value and social efficiency...

Through the innovative startup competition with hundreds of ideas and startup projects participating each year, along with startup festivals, startup forums... have aroused, promoted and spread the spirit of innovative startups in the community. The city's startup ecosystem is assessed by the Ministry of Science and Technology as one of the localities with strong startup development. The Vietnam Software Industry Association (VINASA) assesses Hue city as an attractive startup city. The local innovation index, coordinated by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the World Intellectual Property Organization in 2024 (before merging provincial administrative units), ranked Hue city 2nd out of 14 provinces/cities in the Central Coast and 13th out of 63 provinces/cities measured.

Digital transformation paves the way for knowledge economy and digital society

If science and technology are the root for sustainable development, then digital transformation is the extended arm that spreads knowledge to all aspects of life. For Hue, digital transformation is not just an action program, but an overall strategy built early on. The telling numbers have affirmed the city's efforts, that is, the proportion of digital economy in GRDP reached 11.53%; 100% of communes and wards have fixed and mobile broadband; Hue-S platform has more than 1.3 million accounts with more than 50 functions and more than 20 services serving people, from field reflection to health monitoring, cashless payment, product traceability, etc.

The HueIOC platform (Smart City Monitoring and Operation Center) has been evaluated as a national model by the Ministry of Information and Communications (now the Ministry of Science and Technology). The city's Digital Transformation Index (DTI) has been consistently among the top in the country over the past years. ASOCIO honored Hue as "Asian Smart City" in 2024, and the Hue-S platform has won the Sao Khue Award for 5 consecutive years.

Not only focusing on digital government, digital infrastructure or digital economy, Hue also focuses on digital society, digital services, where all citizens can access, use and benefit from technology. To date, nearly 16,000 public digital signatures have been issued to adults, thousands of officials have been trained in digital skills.

In the 2025 - 2030 term, Hue has officially become a centrally-governed city, and the desire for breakthroughs in science and technology, innovation and digital transformation has become even more urgent. Resolution 57 of the Politburo on breakthroughs in the development of science and technology, innovation and digital transformation at the national level is the guiding principle for Hue to act more decisively and systematically. The goal by 2030 is that Hue will cover all villages and residential groups with 5G; have 70 science and technology enterprises, 150 creative startups; 40% of enterprises have digital transformation activities; be in the top 5 localities in the national digital transformation index (DTI) and top 10 in the local digital transformation index.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Son, Director of the Department of Science and Technology, said that the city needs to continue to improve its institutions, enhance the technology absorption capacity of enterprises, build a mechanism to support intellectual property and promote communication about digital transformation to the grassroots level. Because, once knowledge, technology and creativity are the driving force and people and enterprises are the center, Hue will make a breakthrough and deeply integrate into the global digital economy.

Article and photos: HOAI THUONG

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/kinh-te/khoa-hoc-cong-nghe/khoa-hoc-cong-nghe-doi-moi-sang-tao-va-chuyen-doi-so-chia-khoa-de-hue-phat-trien-156507.html