Developing a knowledge-based economy in the new era.

In the context of widespread globalization and digital transformation, the development of a knowledge-based economy has become an inevitable trend. Knowledge, digital technology, and innovation are increasingly playing a key role as the main drivers of growth, creating high added value and enhancing national competitiveness.

A knowledge-based economy is one in which workers simultaneously work, study, and conduct research. (Photo: USTH)

For Vietnam, which is entering a new stage of development with the requirement for rapid, sustainable growth and improved quality of human resources, grasping and developing the knowledge economy is an urgent task in the current digital age.

Intellectuals represent the nation's wisdom.

Since the late 20th century, the world has undergone a profound transformation from an industrial economy to a knowledge-based economy, characterized by the thorough exploitation and development of human intellectual potential, especially knowledge in science and technology, to serve national development goals. In a knowledge-based economy, human resources, especially the scientific and technological intellectual workforce, play a decisive role in the development of each nation.

Throughout our nation's history, intellectuals have always been a crucial creative force, making immense contributions to the development of the country and the nation. Our people have always cherished, honored, and been proud of the intellectual class, affirming that intellectuals are the embodiment of national intellect, and that "talented individuals are the lifeblood of the nation." Continuing this tradition, in the process of leading the revolution, our Party has consistently affirmed the important position and increasingly significant role of intellectuals in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland.

Throughout each stage of the revolution, our Party has consistently adopted appropriate and timely policies and decisions to unite, build, and strengthen the intellectual workforce, promoting the role of intellectuals and creating momentum to encourage their contributions and creativity. Particularly since the launch and gradual deepening of the reform process, our Party and State have implemented specific policies and measures to create conditions for the development and promotion of the role of intellectuals in all areas of social life. Resolutions, policies, and guidelines on education and training, science and technology, etc., have provided impetus for creative labor and the contributions of our country's intellectual workforce.

Building a knowledge-based economy must be closely linked to scientific research in the current period. (Photo: VHL)

According to Professor and Academician Chau Van Minh, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, and former President of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, the aspiration to propel the country forward in the new era is the culmination of the intellect, will, and faith of the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army. This aspiration is concretized by clear, synchronized, and groundbreaking policy "pillars." First and foremost is the system of important resolutions of the Politburo, demonstrating strong reformist thinking and a long-term vision.

Resolution 68-NQ/TW on the development of the private economy affirmed the important driving role of this sector in the socialist-oriented market economy. Resolution 66-NQ/TW on reforming the work of drafting and implementing laws laid the foundation for perfecting institutions and ensuring a transparent and stable legal environment for development. In particular, Resolution 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in the development of science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation marked a fundamental shift in leadership thinking from considering science and technology as a supporting sector to identifying it as the central driving force of rapid and sustainable growth, affirming the highest political determination of the Party and State in realizing strategic goals. This is a clear message about the unity between vision and action, between policy planning and implementation.

This sense of urgency was quickly concretized at the legislative level. Immediately after Resolution 57 was issued, the National Assembly passed Resolution 193/2025/QH15 on piloting a number of special mechanisms and policies to create breakthroughs in the development of science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation. This resolution opened up an important legal framework to unlock resources, remove bottlenecks in finance, investment, and mechanisms for the use and remuneration of human resources; and at the same time create conditions for new models to be tested in a more flexible institutional environment.

However, even the most correct and effective policies only truly work when implemented by a competent and dedicated team. In this process, intellectuals, scientists, technology experts, and innovative entrepreneurs are the core force, acting as both creators of new knowledge and as a bridge to bring that knowledge into practical production, business, and national governance.

Developing a knowledge-based economy involves combining learning and working with innovation.

Therefore, along with institutional reform, it is necessary to build mechanisms for attracting and utilizing talent, creating a favorable research environment, ensuring autonomy, and encouraging commitment and risk-taking in innovation. From aspiration to action, from resolutions to concrete mechanisms, a development ecosystem based on knowledge, technology, and innovation is gradually taking shape. This is the foundation for Vietnam to break through, improve productivity and the quality of growth, and gradually assert its position in the global value chain.

It can be affirmed that, over time, the Vietnamese intellectual workforce has rapidly grown in number and improved in quality. From a few hundred engineers and doctors after the country gained independence, today Vietnam has millions more with university and postgraduate degrees, including nearly 7,000 professors and associate professors working at higher education institutions…

However, the restructuring of our economy is still slow, lacking depth, and the technological level and economic development of the country remain low. The contribution of science and technology to economic growth is low, resulting in low-quality and unsustainable growth. Therefore, it is necessary to proactively prepare human resources, strengthen information and telecommunications infrastructure, and continue to build and improve the legal framework to promote socio-economic development.

Implement multiple solutions in a coordinated and effective manner.

According to Professor and Academician Chau Van Minh, the Party and State of Vietnam have determined that the road ahead requires a faster pace, higher quality, and stronger political determination than in the past period, with the goal of making Vietnam a developed, high-income country with a just, democratic, and civilized society by 2045 – realizing the aspirations that President Ho Chi Minh always wished for.

The transition from middle-income to high-income status is a challenging journey. Global development experiences show that many countries have fallen into the "middle-income trap" and have been slow to achieve breakthroughs. For Vietnam, the inevitable path is to rely on science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation as the central drivers of growth.

Resolution 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo clearly established that: Science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation are top priority breakthroughs, playing a key role in promoting the rapid development of modern productive forces, perfecting production relations, reforming national governance methods, and enhancing the country's self-reliance and independence.

The historical practice of the Vietnamese revolution has proven that every step forward of the nation is closely linked to the development of science and technology and the pioneering role of the intellectual class. In the new era, this tradition needs to be further strengthened so that the intellectual class truly becomes the decisive force driving the country to breakthroughs and progress.

Illustrative image. (Source: USTH)

Therefore, to develop a knowledge-based economy, we need a large and high-quality intellectual workforce, along with appropriate mechanisms to enable this workforce to play its role and contribute to the country's development. To achieve this, on the one hand, we need to encourage, motivate, and create conditions for intellectuals to uphold the tradition of patriotism, wholeheartedly serving the country and its people, using their intellect, talent, and strength, together with the people, under the leadership of the Party, to develop the country and stand shoulder to shoulder with the world's leading nations. On the other hand, we also need to implement a number of solutions simultaneously, including:

Focus on innovating mechanisms and policies for science and technology development, perfecting the legal system to suit the requirements of socio-economic development; encouraging businesses to innovate technology, enhance competitiveness, and create a level playing field; strengthening support for innovation and research and development in businesses, building a comprehensive set of mechanisms and policies to create dynamism and efficiency in the science and technology activities of all organizations and individuals; creating a link between research, training, and production and business, while building effective mechanisms to support research and development products to become marketable goods, meeting the needs of socio-economic sectors.

The State is increasing investment in scientific research, technological development, and the deployment of modern new technologies to strive to ensure that by 2030, Vietnam will essentially become a developing country with a modern industrial base and a high middle income. The overall goal is to improve the people's living standards, be among the top 30 economies in the world with a GDP per capita of approximately US$8,500, develop the digital economy, and firmly protect the Fatherland.

Improving the quality of basic research in natural and social sciences, focusing on key basic research areas, concentrating investment to achieve international standards and benchmarks, considering basic research as the foundation for developing the country's research and development capacity in science and technology, and as the infrastructure of the national science and technology sector; promoting applied research to serve socio-economic development, efficient and sustainable exploitation of natural resources; and strengthening international cooperation in science and technology activities.

Continuing to innovate management and financial mechanisms in science and technology will create incentives for the scientific and technological intellectual workforce to unleash their creativity; the State will focus on building development funds and major science and technology programs, identifying and commissioning the implementation of key national science and technology tasks, and concentrating resources on solving crucial science and technology tasks.

Developing and modernizing education at all levels aims at the long-term goal of training high-quality human resources, making a significant contribution to raising the intellectual level of the population, training human resources, nurturing talent, and building the character of Vietnamese people. Investing sufficiently in education and training, alongside science and technology, truly makes it a top national priority.

There should be appropriate policies to reward, utilize, and honor intellectuals in general, and special policies to attract talent and limit brain drain.

Building a strong intellectual workforce is a "top national priority," and also the responsibility of the entire political system and society as a whole, in order to create a solid foundation for the country to enter a new era of development.

The 14th National Congress of the Party identified the intellectual workforce as a particularly important resource, playing a decisive role in the success of industrialization, modernization, and deep international integration. The overarching principle is to build a strong intellectual workforce with firm political convictions, profound intellect, and a rich spirit of serving the Fatherland and the people; truly becoming a pioneering force in innovation, developing a knowledge-based economy, ensuring national defense and security, and enhancing the nation's standing.

Scientific research is one of the key elements contributing to the development of a knowledge-based economy. (Photo: VHL)

Under the decisive and coordinated leadership of the Politburo and the Secretariat, especially General Secretary To Lam, policies and mechanisms aimed at identifying, attracting, utilizing, and rewarding talent have been gradually perfected. This opens up a broader space for development and a more open legal framework for intellectuals to confidently research, create, and contribute. Along with unlocking resources, the requirement is to create a healthy academic environment that prioritizes creative freedom coupled with social responsibility, honors genuine contributions, and uses effectiveness and value as the measure of success.

It is time for Vietnamese intellectuals to continue affirming their capabilities, aspirations, and stature, bringing Vietnamese intellect to the region and the world, contributing to the realization of the strategic goals set forth by the 14th National Congress of the Party. We believe that, in the new era, when knowledge, science, technology, and innovation become the main driving forces of growth, the intellectual workforce will be the core force helping the country to break through, develop rapidly and sustainably, and gradually realize the aspiration of building Vietnam into a powerful and developed nation.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Van Nga, M.Sc.

Director of the Center for Scientific Data and Information (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology)

Source: https://nhandan.vn/phat-develop-the-knowledge-economy-in-the-new-era-post945839.html