“Call” for science and technology talents to come back to help the country - Part 2: Creating mechanisms, environments, and trust for Vietnamese intelligence to converge and shine

(PLVN) - Patriotism always flows in the blood of every Vietnamese person and the desire to return to live in the homeland is always present, is the thought, concern, and pain of many Vietnamese people around the world, including scientists, experts, and engineers in science and technology. Vietnamese people, wherever they are, if they have the opportunity to contribute to the country, are ready. The important thing is that we create a mechanism, environment, and trust for Vietnamese intelligence to converge and shine.

Resolution 57-NQ/TW – “Resolution 10” of science and technology

On December 22, 2024 – the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army, General Secretary To Lam signed and issued Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation and national digital transformation.

80 years ago, the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army - the predecessor of the Vietnam People's Army was born in the Tran Hung Dao forest, Cao Bang province. The heroic army, the revolutionary army made victories "famous in five continents, shaking the earth".

After 80 years, today, in the digital age, the technological age requires the team of Vietnamese scientists and technology experts - the "warriors" of the new era to also strive and be determined to make resounding achievements, contributing to making Vietnam a powerful nation - on par with friends from all over the world.

Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW is a Resolution of the Party's will in harmony with the people's will, expressing the aspiration to build a prosperous and happy country, at a time when all advantages and strengths converge to bring the country into a new era, an era of national development. The Resolution received the consensus and support of the majority of the people, especially scientists and researchers at home and abroad.

In addition to clearly outlining the path for the country's science and technology development in the coming time, the Resolution has many "new features", creating the premise for the development of science and technology such as: Accepting risks in scientific research or specific goals to apply and utilize achievements in scientific research to social development.

If Resolution No. 10-NQ/TW in 1988, known as "Resolution 10", is considered a pivotal resolution on innovation and management of agricultural economy and a strong push for agricultural production, bringing our country to develop with remarkable achievements, Resolution No. 57 can be considered as a "Contract 10" in science and technology development, a compass for action, creating a breakthrough to bring our country into the era of national development.

The Draft Document submitted to the 14th National Party Congress once again emphasized the phrase "taking science and technology, innovation and digital transformation as the main driving force" demonstrating the correct viewpoint of our Party when planning the country's development path in the new period.

Accordingly, science and technology are the foundation of development, innovation is the main driving force, digital transformation is inevitable in industry 4.0 with the development and application of artificial intelligence (AI) in all aspects of life. Digital transformation is not only to connect and erase geographical distances but also to connect ideas and practices, helping dreams soon become reality.

The author at the laboratory at the Paris School of Engineering, Gustave Eiffel University, France.

The desire to contribute to the country is always present in every Vietnamese living abroad.

Vietnam today has “awakened”, has transformed itself strongly to become one of the 32 largest economies in the world, with an economic scale that has increased nearly 100 times compared to 1986, and per capita income increasing from less than 100 USD in 1975 to nearly 5,000 USD in 2024. In the great achievements of the nation, there are valuable and very important contributions from the Vietnamese community abroad.

In the context of the entire Party, the entire people and the entire army being determined to successfully achieve the two 100-year goals, bringing the country into a powerful era, taking science and technology as the top important breakthrough, the main driving force to rapidly develop modern productive forces, preventing the risk of falling behind, the mission of overseas Vietnamese, especially overseas intellectuals, scientists and experts, is to "strive" and "shoulder" with the country to create extraordinary things.

In recent years, there has been a wave of outstanding overseas intellectuals returning to their homeland to work, such as Professor Vu Ha Van, Associate Professor, Doctor of Science Phan Thi Ha Duong, etc. In the Prime Minister's economic advisory group, there are also many intellectuals, typically Professor Tran Ngoc Anh from Indiana University, USA. This shows that Vietnamese people all over the world always turn to the Fatherland and the Party and State always respect the advice and consultation of overseas intellectuals to help the country quickly approach and approach the advanced level of science and technology in the world.

In addition, many young generations and young scientists, after living, studying and practicing abroad, also return to their homeland to join hands in contributing to and building the country. This is a valuable resource of the nation, showing that the majority of Vietnamese youth today, whether at home or abroad, always uphold revolutionary ideals, carry within themselves the motivation to build the country and always strive to prove that youth are the pillars and future of the country.

On the threshold of the era of national development, we have also learned about specific policies and mechanisms to attract experts in various fields, not only the priority fields in the current period such as high-speed railway, nuclear power, artificial intelligence, semiconductors but also expanded to 11 strategic technology groups and 35 strategic technology product groups for the period 2025 - 2030 issued under Decision No. 1131/QD-TTg dated June 12, 2025 of the Prime Minister.

The policy of attracting science and technology talents is also specified through documents such as Decree No. 179/2024-ND/CP issued by the Government at the end of 2024, stipulating policies to attract and promote talented people to work in agencies, organizations and units of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the State, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations or policies on special treatment to attract at least 100 leading experts to work in the country.

On June 22, 2025, the Ministry of Science and Technology also issued Decision No. 1412/QD-BKHCN approving the "Plan to attract 100 excellent domestic and foreign experts to participate in key national science and technology programs and tasks on artificial intelligence (AI)".

The newly issued policies, guidelines and legal corridors have demonstrated strategic vision and strong determination in creating a team of leading intellectuals and experts to lead the development of science, technology and national digital transformation.

Need answers to concerns and questions

Delegation of the Vietnamese community in France welcomed General Secretary To Lam during his official visit to the French Republic, October 2024. (Author second from left)

Reality has proven: Vietnamese people, wherever they are, and although their living conditions may be different, patriotism always flows in their veins. Therefore, if there is an opportunity to contribute to the country, they will be ready. The important thing is that we need to create a mechanism, environment and trust for Vietnamese intelligence to converge and shine.

In order for young experts and scientists to return to the country to contribute, in addition to financial and income issues, there needs to be answers to questions, concerns and difficulties such as: What are the specific jobs, working environment, promotion opportunities, career development and ability to integrate into the domestic environment?

Each country will have different office culture, regulations, administrative procedures, and operating mechanisms, and everyone will feel confused when starting work in a new environment.

A typical example in scientific research is that the research topic is published in prestigious journals is a great honor. However, in developed countries, for example in France, where "scientific integrity" is always highly valued, in other words, ethics in scientific research, chasing after the number of annual publications is not a thing. Chasing after achievements to meet targets leads to many consequences or, more dangerously, buying and selling research results just to get quantity.

In addition, practical lessons from developed countries show that besides reasonable policies, people are the central, primary and most important resource and driving force for the development of a nation. It is necessary to arouse patriotism, the desire to contribute and the awareness of the role, responsibility and ideal spirit of each individual.

In addition, special policies and mechanisms are also needed to take care of relatives and families of talented and respected individuals when they decide to return home because each individual wants to have a solid rear base so that they can wholeheartedly work and contribute.

In order for the overseas Vietnamese business community and intellectuals to promote their role in the new era of the nation, especially in technology transfer, innovation and participation in the global value chain, it is necessary to soon establish and put into operation the model of "research and development center" (R&D) in public service units, state-owned and private corporations, especially for a number of strategic, high-tech and connected industries.

The research and development center was established with the aim of directly solving problems encountered in the exploitation and production process; serving the digital transformation, modernization and optimization of production processes. This model will support the maximum utilization of Vietnamese intelligence, gradually approaching the pinnacle of international science, helping domestic experts to gradually become technologically autonomous.

The establishment of a “research and development center” also contributes to solving the problem of employing, attracting and retaining talented people. It not only attracts Vietnamese scientists and experts abroad but also creates a premise to attract international experts and friends to work and help us solve domestic problems. Attracting foreign experts to invest and research also clearly demonstrates the spirit of multilateral diplomacy that our Party has proposed.

In addition, the work of discovering, nurturing and training young talents also needs attention. Currently, in addition to the international student community, Vietnamese people living abroad have gradually appeared generations F1, F2... born and raised in the host country. These are also valuable resources of the country that need appropriate policies. There needs to be specific plans for "career opportunities" that are attractive enough to retain talents after returning home, avoiding brain drain, especially for young talents.

Discovering young talents can be done through competitions and awards on science, technology, innovation, etc., closely following the actual situation in each stage of the country's development with the aim of attracting talents in priority fields.

In today's flat world and strong digital transformation, contributing to the homeland and country can be done anywhere in the world as long as each citizen always looks towards the Fatherland. Therefore, the fact that a part of people choose to stay abroad to live and work does not mean that they do not contribute to the development of the country.

Therefore, to attract and make the most of resources from Vietnamese intellectuals and experts abroad, there needs to be a suitable and flexible management mechanism, with a department/agency directly managing and operating in the country and a focal point in each locality with the role of gathering and maintaining activities, gathering solutions for each important issue of the country.

When the Party, the State and the people share the same aspiration, when Vietnamese people at home and abroad unite in the same spirit and will to contribute to building a "more decent and beautiful" country as Uncle Ho always hoped, Vietnam can completely achieve the goal of becoming a developed and powerful nation by the middle of the 21st century.

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/loi-hieu-trieu-nhan-tai-khoa-hoc-cong-nghe-ve-giup-nuoc-bai-2-tao-co-che-moi-truong-niem-tin-de-tri-tue-viet-hoi-tu-va-toa-sang.html