Opening up opportunities for the development of science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

On December 10th, in Gia Lai, the Ministry of Science and Technology organized a national conference to implement Decree 265/2025/ND-CP and provide guidance on developing plans and state budget estimates for the fields of science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

Deputy Minister Bui Hoang Phuong delivered a speech at the conference.

The conference, connected online to 34 provinces and cities, marks an important step in implementing Resolution 57-NQ/TW and promoting a new growth model based on science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

The new institutional framework paves the way for breakthroughs.

In his opening remarks at the conference, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui Hoang Phuong stated: “With the promulgation of Resolution 57, the Politburo has clearly affirmed that the development of science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation are top priority breakthroughs. During the 2026-2030 period, the country is required to establish a new growth model based on knowledge, technology, and innovation, considering this as the foundation for improving national productivity, quality, and competitiveness.”

To ensure that science and technology are truly put into practice, the Party, State, and Government have prioritized one of the most important steps: guaranteeing a minimum of 3% of the state budget for science and technology. This policy has been concretized in decrees, circulars, and many legal documents. In 2025 alone, the budget allocated an additional 25,000 billion VND for science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation, demonstrating the Government's strong determination.

However, in the initial stages, the allocation, arrangement, and disbursement of new resources faced many challenges. To date, the Ministry of Science and Technology has closely coordinated with the Ministry of Finance and reported to competent authorities on the allocation of a total of 16,716 billion VND to 26 ministries, central agencies, and localities.

It must start with planning and budgeting.

At the 5th meeting of the Government Steering Committee on Science and Technology, Innovation, and Digital Transformation and Project 06, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh concluded that approximately 95,000 billion VND will be allocated to these areas in 2026. This presents both an unprecedented development opportunity and a significant challenge, requiring ministries, sectors, and localities to have the capacity to absorb, deploy, and manage public resources effectively.

To effectively utilize this budget, we must start with planning and budgeting. This is a fundamental step that determines the effectiveness of public investment in science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

Recently, many new regulations have been issued, but planning and budgeting in many units still have unclear and inconsistent aspects. At the conference, Deputy Minister Bui Hoang Phuong requested delegates to frankly discuss to resolve difficulties and ensure a unified understanding and approach when implementing Decree 265.

The Deputy Minister affirmed that, in the coming period, the Ministry of Science and Technology is committed to working alongside other ministries, sectors, and localities, ready to support the implementation process, and will closely coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to ensure that resources are allocated correctly, sufficiently, and promptly. The Ministry will also continue to improve the digital technology system in planning and financial management to enhance transparency and improve the efficiency of public investment in science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

On this occasion, Deputy Minister Bui Hoang Phuong expressed his deepest condolences for the damage suffered by the people of Gia Lai during the recent floods. The Deputy Minister stated that the Ministry of Science and Technology, along with other agencies, organizations, and businesses, have coordinated to provide support and contribute a small part to help the people overcome difficulties and stabilize their lives as soon as possible.

Unlocking resources and creating a foundation for local development.

Decree 265 has received particular attention from management teams, scientists, and the science and technology organization system, as it is an important legal foundation that resolves long-standing bottlenecks in the mechanism of managing, allocating, and using the budget.

Conference scene.

According to Pham Anh Tuan, Chairman of the People's Committee of Gia Lai province, localities are facing a huge workload, with more than 150 tasks to be implemented as required by the central government and the province.

However, the lack of specific guidance on spending procedures and resource allocation has made many units hesitant, worried about legal risks, and reluctant to implement the regulations. Decree 265 was issued at the right time, creating a unified and clear legal framework to give localities more confidence in organizing implementation. The Chairman of the People's Committee of Gia Lai province requested that the provincial departments and agencies focus on thoroughly absorbing the regulations and guidelines at the Conference to implement them seriously, ensuring safety, effectiveness, and consistency.

The delegates presented in-depth content, analyzing the new policy system and the requirements for implementing Decree 265.

Decree No. 265/2025/ND-CP, issued by the Government on October 14, 2025, provides detailed regulations and guidance on the implementation of several articles of the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation concerning finance and investment in science, technology and innovation. The Decree plays a crucial role in establishing a comprehensive and flexible legal framework to strongly promote science, technology and innovation activities in Vietnam.

Ms. Nguyen Hong Van, from the Planning-Finance Department (Ministry of Science and Technology), stated that the Decree focuses on guiding the allocation of state budget funds for science, technology, and innovation activities, thereby demonstrating the State's commitment to investing in and facilitating the development of this field. The policies stipulated in the Decree encompass various aspects, from infrastructure investment and financial support for funds and organizations to human resource training and the implementation of special regimes and policies.

Regarding guidance on registering and consolidating public investment plans in the fields of science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation, Deputy Director of the Planning-Finance Department Tran Nhu Hien stated that the preparation of medium-term and annual public investment plans must be consistent with the objectives outlined in the socio-economic development strategy, the five-year and annual socio-economic development plans of the nation, sectors, fields, and localities, as well as approved plans; and at the same time ensure consistency with the five-year overall science, technology, and innovation strategy, program, and plan, and the five-year science, technology, and innovation plan of each Ministry and sector.

Furthermore, planning must ensure efficient use of capital, avoiding fragmentation and dispersion; while also ensuring transparency, fairness, and equity. Public investment plans need to be centrally managed, with unified objectives, mechanisms, and policies, but still with reasonable decentralization to empower ministries, sectors, and localities, contributing to improved investment efficiency.

Regarding the field of digital transformation, Deputy Director of the National Digital Transformation Agency, Le Anh Tuan, provided information on new points concerning the management of investment in information technology applications and digital transformation. Accordingly, one of the new points is the procedure for deciding on investment for special public investment projects: The investor can independently decide on all aspects of the investment activity to organize project implementation, ensuring progress and quality; can apply the direct contracting method for project packages; can apply the design-build method; and can apply simplified procedures as stipulated by the law on state budget and bidding; and can apply separate cost norms for the preparation, appraisal, and approval of project estimates.

Mr. Pham Dinh Nguyen, Director of the Academy of Science and Technology Strategy, also shared information about the Strategy for Science and Technology Development and Innovation until 2030 and the need for adjustments to meet the requirements in the new context.

Providing post-storm reconstruction assistance to people in Gia Lai.

At the conference, Ms. Truong Thanh Thanh, Chairwoman of the Hope Fund Management Board; Mr. Pham Hieu, Editor-in-Chief of VnExpress Newspaper; and Ms. Pham Ngoc Anh, Chief of Office of FPT Group, presented support for post-storm reconstruction totaling 3.35 billion VND to 9 schools in Gia Lai and 1,891 boxes of health supplements worth over 300 million VND to teachers and students in Gia Lai.

HIEP DUC

Source: https://nhandan.vn/mo-khong-gian-phat-trien-cho-khoa-hoc-cong-nghe-doi-moi-sang-tao-va-chuyen-doi-so-post929370.html