Intellectuals living abroad are helping the country to leapfrog and catch up with the times.

During his visit to Austria in July 2023, despite a busy schedule, President Vo Van Thuong still found time to visit Dr. Nguyen Duy Ha, a quantum physics expert and professor at the Vienna University of Technology.

President Vo Van Thuong visits physicist Dr. Nguyen Duy Ha in July 2023 - Photo: VNA

I believe this is a great encouragement for Dr. Nguyen Duy Ha personally, and it is also a typical story that demonstrates the tradition of valuing intellectuals and talented people, as well as the orientation of focusing on developing the intellectual resources of overseas Vietnamese.

"Overseas intellectuals are a valuable resource; if properly mobilized, they will contribute to helping the country leapfrog ahead and successfully implement the cause of industrialization and modernization."

Ambassador Ngo Huong Nam

Many key sectors have Vietnamese experts.

Ambassador Ngo Huong Nam - Photo: DANH KHANG

In fact, recently, our country's senior leaders have been very active in visiting Vietnamese citizens living abroad during their overseas trips.

These very cordial and intimate meetings are the most vivid evidence of the policy of "more clearly demonstrating Vietnam's affection and responsibility in caring for the overseas Vietnamese community," as stated in Conclusion No. 12-KL/TW.

I also believe that through these meetings, overseas Vietnamese feel the closeness and warmth of the Party and State leaders in particular, and of their homeland in general.

Recently, when Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh set the goal of training 30,000 to 50,000 engineers and 100 experts in digital transformation and semiconductor chip manufacturing, overseas Vietnamese intellectuals were seen as a major source of expertise to contribute to the country's development, especially in the fields of innovation and technology transfer.

Currently, it is estimated that there are approximately 600,000 intellectuals with a university degree or higher out of a total of 5.3 million Vietnamese people living abroad, mainly concentrated in the United States and Western European countries.

Overseas Vietnamese intellectuals comprise two groups: intellectuals from Vietnam who go abroad to study and work, and intellectuals who are the second, third, and fourth generation children of Vietnamese people living in their host countries.

Vietnamese experts and intellectuals abroad work in scientific research centers, universities, high-tech and engineering businesses, as well as in many international organizations.

In most cutting-edge industries and fields, high-tech projects ranging from electronics, biotechnology, new materials, new energy, information technology to aerospace and marine engineering around the world ... all have Vietnamese experts.

Many Vietnamese people work in the fields of information technology and telecommunications. In Silicon Valley, California (USA), there are approximately 10,000 Vietnamese people working, including many Vietnamese-owned businesses operating in the information technology sector.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visits the Vietnamese community in Japan in May 2023 - Photo: VGP

The network brings together more than 1,500 highly qualified professionals and intellectuals.

Over the past period, the committee has coordinated with the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Planning and Investment in attracting overseas Vietnamese intellectuals.

Notably, the Vietnam Innovation Network (VIN) has brought together over 1,500 highly qualified Vietnamese experts and intellectuals living abroad in 20 countries and territories, and has eight member networks in Europe, Germany, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States.

Overseas Vietnamese experts and intellectuals working at the National Innovation Center are supported with visas and work permits through streamlined procedures, allowing them to work and contribute with peace of mind.

In recent years, Vietnamese intellectuals abroad have not only focused on their professional fields to achieve personal success, but they have also formed associations of Vietnamese intellectuals in many countries, leveraging collective strength to contribute to the community.

I can mention the Vietnam Meeting Science Association of Professor Tran Thanh Van - a Vietnamese expatriate in France, the Fourth Conference of Young World Academies organized by the Vietnam Young Academy, the Association of Vietnamese Intellectuals in the UK, the US and many other countries.

We aim to connect these associations and integrate them into a national network, creating an engaging platform for them to interact, exchange ideas, and contribute to the country.

The value of overseas Vietnamese intellectuals lies not only in their professional contributions but also in their ability to leverage social connections and prestige both domestically and internationally as a bridge to help Vietnam cooperate and integrate more deeply into the international community, from science and technology to economics.

Over the years, they have also made many important contributions to the transfer of knowledge and technology, and the training of human resources in science and technology within the country. Furthermore, they have served as a bridge, calling on international scientists and resources to contribute to Vietnam's development.

Young Vietnamese intellectuals living abroad are gradually replacing the older generation. They possess the advantages of youth, creativity, and a keen awareness of new technologies. The resources of second and third-generation Vietnamese intellectuals in the overseas Vietnamese community are enormous.

They are a tremendous driving force contributing to both their host countries and their homeland. This stems from the self-sacrificing nature of Vietnamese parents for their children. While the parents' generation may have had to work extremely hard abroad, they invested their money and time in their children's education, leading to the success of the next generation.

The committee has contributed to the formation and support of activities, connecting the innovation ecosystem of young Vietnamese people abroad in major competitions such as VietChallenge in the US or Hack4Growth in France.

According to Program 844 on "Supporting the National Innovation and Startup Ecosystem until 2025" of the Ministry of Science and Technology, we are integrating overseas competitions organized by young Vietnamese people into the domestic competition. When a prize is won, all young people in Vietnam and young Vietnamese intellectuals abroad will participate in the final round.

We also cannot ignore the vibrant start-up movement that is taking place in this new era. Start-ups always need mentors who are experts in business, science, and technology.

For a long time, we have only invited domestic intellectuals as advisors, so the committee has collaborated with the Ministry of Science and Technology to invite more successful overseas Vietnamese intellectuals as advisors to guide the domestic startup movement.

Association of Vietnamese Intellectuals in Taiwan - Photo: State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese

Treating talented individuals with genuine appreciation requires substance.

In my opinion, there needs to be a policy to protect the intellectual property rights of Vietnamese experts and intellectuals abroad.

To attract leading scientists and experts, we need a reasonable and generous incentive policy, ensuring stable living conditions, providing housing and health insurance. We must also create favorable conditions for their children's education, so that they can work with peace of mind without worrying about other issues.

Each ministry, sector, and locality should base its actions on its specific needs and characteristics to effectively utilize this policy, avoiding merely following a trend, which is both impractical and wasteful of intellectual resources.

Of course, this work needs to be linked to informing and promoting domestic policies along with the principle of national unity to encourage the patriotic spirit of overseas Vietnamese.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is leading and coordinating with ministries, sectors, and localities to develop a government plan on attracting resources from overseas Vietnamese, with intellectual resources in the fields of science, high technology, and innovation being one of the key focuses.

The State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, as the "common home" for overseas Vietnamese, will strive to connect and gather experts and intellectuals, and introduce them to agencies and localities in specific fields, as well as to specialized agencies in the country.

The Green team won first prize in the 2020 Hack4Growth competition - Photo: State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese

Contributing to humanity and the nation.

Dr. Nguyen Duy Ha is a low-temperature quantum physics expert at the Vienna University of Technology (Austria). This is Austria's leading research group and one of the seven top low-temperature research groups in Europe. During a visit to Dr. Ha's family on July 24, 2023, President Vo Van Thuong stated that, in addition to contributing intellectually to the science and technology of humanity and the local research institution, Dr. Ha's scientific achievements also serve as encouragement and motivation for Vietnamese intellectuals in the development of science and technology in the country. "This success also provides valuable insights for the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Government, and the State in formulating policies to encourage and motivate scientists in research and implementation of science and technology more effectively," President Vo Van Thuong said. The head of state also expressed his hope that, with his valuable experience, Dr. Ha would strengthen connections with scientists and intellectuals in the country. From there, they combine research with policy recommendations, while sharing a passion for achieving outstanding results in science and contributing to the development of science and technology in the country.

I dreamt about Hoan Kiem Lake that night.

Having worked in diplomacy for over 30 years, I've had many opportunities to interact with the Vietnamese community abroad in Japan, Australia, and Europe, and I've seen that they always think deeply about their homeland.

Some people even told me that they dreamt of strolling around Hoan Kiem Lake while they slept. Their bodies were there, but their hearts and thoughts were still focused on their homeland. Everyone wanted to contribute to their country.

Over the past 20 years, the committee has successfully organized the Vietnam Summer Camp for outstanding overseas Vietnamese youth, and will soon be offering special discounted travel programs exclusively for overseas Vietnamese.

Therefore, I think organizing a Summer Camp for overseas Vietnamese intellectuals is also a good idea. Through this, we can attract overseas Vietnamese intellectuals and entrepreneurs to learn about the investment and business environment and network with young entrepreneurs in the country.

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