Strengthening cooperation in organizing the selection of pioneering research tasks

On December 9, 2025, in Moscow (Russian Federation), the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) and the Russian Science Foundation (RSF) held a signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding on coordination in selecting and funding advanced research tasks in the fields of natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities. The event marked an important step forward in scientific cooperation between the two countries, opening up many new opportunities for Vietnamese and Russian research groups in implementing pioneering projects.

Strengthening bilateral cooperation in cutting-edge research areas

At the signing ceremony, Mr. Andrei Blinov, Deputy Director General of RSF and Mr. Ngo Sy Quoc, Deputy Director of NAFOSTED signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), affirming their determination to promote scientific research cooperation between the two countries.

Deputy Director of NAFOSTED Foundation Ngo Sy Quoc and Deputy Director General of RSF Blinov Andrei, representatives of the two Foundations signed the memorandum of understanding.

According to the MOU, NAFOSTED and RSF will strengthen bilateral cooperation in implementing programs to select joint research topics, aiming to promote the strengths of research groups of the two countries, promote pioneering research, cutting-edge research, high knowledge content and practical contributions to scientific development.

The cooperation is implemented in the form of funding for bilateral international research groups: Each topic must have the participation of a Vietnamese research group and a Russian research group. This is an effective cooperation model, helping scientific groups to enhance academic exchanges, access modern research infrastructure and methodologies, and at the same time create a favorable environment for young scientists to improve their research capacity in the context of deep international integration.

The first selection round is expected to be launched in September 2026, focusing on two priority areas with great strengths and potential for cooperation: Physics and Marine Science . These are all specialized research areas, requiring modern knowledge and technology, and are important to the science and technology development strategies of both Vietnam and the Russian Federation.

Subsequent selection rounds will be developed through a joint consultation mechanism between the two agencies, ensuring alignment with each country's research priorities and the international context.

Transparent, independent and effective funding mechanism

One of the important contents of the MOU is to clearly stipulate the funding mechanism and implementation organization according to the principles of parallelism - transparency - no funding interference.

Accordingly, each side will directly fund their national research groups according to internal regulations. RSF funds the Russian research group with a budget of 4-7 million rubles/year depending on the scale of the project, NAFOSTED supports the Vietnamese research group with a maximum of 10 billion VND for a 3-year cycle, and can consider increasing the level of support for special projects with high academic value or application potential.

In addition to funding from the fund, projects can also receive co-funding from relevant businesses or organizations, to promote the link between scientific research and industrial development needs, contributing to national innovation.

The project evaluation process is carried out independently at each fund, following scientific standards and ensuring objectivity. The results are classified into three levels A, B, C; only the proposals with the highest evaluation from both sides are selected for funding. This mechanism aims to ensure research quality and optimize the efficiency of resource use, while selecting the right tasks with outstanding academic value and high application potential.

The MOU also emphasizes the need to comply with ethical and legal standards in scientific research, especially for research involving humans, laboratory animals, biological materials and the environment.

Each party is responsible for ensuring compliance with the laws and professional standards of its country. Intellectual property rights of research results are established according to the laws of the two countries and cooperation agreements, ensuring harmony of interests between participating parties, especially when there is co-funding by enterprises.

Representatives of NAFOSTED Foundation and RSF Foundation took a souvenir photo.

The signing of the MOU between NAFOSTED and RSF not only creates a foundation for research groups of the two countries to carry out pioneering tasks, but also contributes to strengthening the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Russia in the field of science and technology. At the same time, it opens up opportunities for Vietnamese scientists to access international resources, participate in prestigious research networks, enhance the position of the country's science in the international arena, and make practical contributions to socio-economic development.

The signing of the MOU is also a testament to the joint efforts of the two funds in promoting scientific research towards standards, sustainability and integration, in line with global development trends. The event was held in a friendly and trustworthy atmosphere, demonstrating the determination of NAFOSTED and RSF in bringing Vietnam - Russia scientific cooperation into depth, substance and effectiveness, towards the goal of building a modern science and technology foundation, open to the world .

Center for Science and Technology Communication, National Foundation for Science and Technology Development

Source: https://mst.gov.vn/tang-cuong-hop-tac-trong-to-chuc-tuyen-chon-nhiem-vu-nghyen-cuu-tien-phong-197251209204919924.htm