Resolution 57-NQ/TW: Creating an ecosystem to help science make breakthroughs

Many breakthroughs

In the development period of 2021-2030, with a vision for 2045, the Party and State of Vietnam place high expectations on the foundational role of science, technology, and innovation, viewing them as a "strategic breakthrough" and "main driving force" to create breakthroughs in productivity, quality, efficiency, and competitiveness of the economy .

Vietnam aims to become a developing country with modern industry and upper-middle income by 2030, and a developed country with high income by 2044.

However, it must be frankly acknowledged that our country's scientific and technological capabilities and level are still weak and risk falling further behind the world, failing to develop to its full potential due to many objective and subjective reasons. First, the demand for technology is low because competition and business growth are not based on technological factors but rather on increasing investment capital, cheap labor, resource exploitation, and short-term benefits. Obstacles in implementing the mechanism of autonomy and accountability for public science and technology organizations reduce their motivation for development.

Furthermore, a mindset that rejects risk and delays in scientific research leads to difficulties in evaluating the effectiveness of scientific and technological tasks and in claiming reimbursement of budget funds.

Therefore, Resolution 57-NQ/TW dated December 22, 2024, of the Politburo on breakthroughs in the development of science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation (Resolution 57) places science and technology, along with innovation and digital transformation, in the position of "a top priority breakthrough." The Resolution sets out important, specific goals and unprecedentedly decisive solutions.

Pointing out the breakthroughs of Resolution 57, former Minister of Science and Technology and Chairman of the Vietnam Automation Association, Dr. Nguyen Nguyen Quan, said that firstly, the Party has set specific, high-level goals for 2030 and 2045 so that Vietnam can become a developed, high-income country. The second breakthrough is that the Resolution stipulates the need to increase investment in science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

Notably, Resolution 57 represents a breakthrough in thinking regarding state budget investment in R&D activities. Accordingly, budget allocations for scientific and technological research and development are prioritized through a fund-based mechanism, via science and technology development funds. Another breakthrough is the mechanism for determining "risk acceptance, venture capital, and time lags in scientific research, technological development, and innovation."

The final breakthrough lies in the feasibility of implementing the Resolution. For the first time, the head of our Party directly serves as the head of the Steering Committee for the implementation of the Resolution, and alongside the Steering Committee is an advisory council comprising highly qualified and reputable managers and scientists. This approach overcomes the shortcomings of previous periods, when Steering Committees often only included representatives from state management agencies, lacking sufficient power within the political system and heavily influenced by short-term thinking.

Removing bottlenecks paves the way for breakthroughs in science and technology.

Following the issuance of Resolution 57, the scientific community is placing much faith in a new phase where administrative barriers are removed, operating mechanisms become more flexible, creating conditions for scientific research to truly play a key role in socio-economic development.

Experts and scientists also expect that the Resolution will be an important basis for the National Assembly to remove institutional bottlenecks associated with the development of science and technology that have existed in the past, especially since the Resolution has allowed for an open approach, creative application, and pilot testing for new practical issues; accepting risks, venture capital, and delays in scientific research, technological development, and innovation...

According to Dr. Trinh Thanh Trung, Director of the Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology (Vietnam National University, Hanoi), Resolution 57 has created a complete ecosystem where scientific research not only generates knowledge but is also transformed into technology, applied in practice, promoting innovation and building big data infrastructure to serve the digital economy.

This is not only a strategic decision but also good news for the entire scientific community. For a long time, scientists have repeatedly raised concerns about the difficulties in implementing the policy, but the bottlenecks have yet to be resolved. "Once these obstacles are removed, science and technology will truly become the driving force for national development," Dr. Trinh Thanh Trung believes.

Sharing the same view, Dr. Vuong Thi Huong – Deputy Director of the Institute of Han Nom Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, believes that the Government's recent issuance of the Resolution on the Government's Action Program to implement Resolution 57 will create a breakthrough in the development of science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation. This also demonstrates the strategic vision of our Party in the context of a world undergoing strong transformation due to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Identifying the role of science, technology, and innovation as key drivers for promoting economic growth, increasing labor productivity, and improving national competitiveness reflects a vision aligned with global trends, as advanced nations consider these factors decisive in overcoming challenges and achieving sustainable development.

Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/cong-nghe/nghi-quyet-57-nq-tw-kien-tao-he-sinh-thai-dua-khoa-hoc-but-pha/20250207100424055