Creating a "green channel" for science and technology but not 'loosening' management

The regulation of exemption from civil liability in scientific and technological activities is a breakthrough mechanism, creating a green channel for science and technology, but that does not mean loosening management.

Make breakthroughs in science and technology activities

The National Assembly recently passed a Resolution to pilot a number of mechanisms and policies to remove obstacles in scientific, technological, innovation and national digital transformation activities, including provisions on exemption from civil liability when causing damage to the state in the process of scientific and technological research using the budget.

This content has received the support of not only the scientific community but also businesses and managers.

Removing barriers in scientific research and technology development will create momentum for Vietnam's science and technology development. Illustrative photo

Obviously, the exemption from liability in case of risks in scientific research and technological development activities is completely consistent with reality. Because risks do not only come in scientific research activities but also in business. We must be ready to accept risks as a step in the process of improvement, so that we can do better next time and not stumble again.

Scientific research activities face many risks, as Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh once cited at the meeting of the group on the morning of February 15, 2025, during the 9th Extraordinary Session: "To research and make this cup, you may have to have 10 experiments, 9 of which were failures, but the last experiment was a success. Science is like that."

Resolution 57 sets out a scientific management principle of managing goals, not managing processes, and we must realize that ideology and viewpoint.

Therefore, realizing the viewpoint of Resolution 57, scientific management is goal management, not process management, then exempting researchers from responsibility in case of risk is completely appropriate and correct.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and leaders of ministries and branches visited the booth displaying products related to scientific research topics and tasks of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology at the Vietnam International Innovation Exhibition 2023.

Perhaps there is rarely a policy or initiative that creates such a strong breakthrough and receives such support from the entire social community, especially scientists.

Prof. Dr. Thai Van Thanh - National Assembly Delegation of Nghe An province shared that accepting risks in Article 4 of the Resolution is a breakthrough policy.

In scientific research, it is true that risks must be accepted. Not all research is successful or the final product is "broken" to the right goal, true to the description, with no value to bring to the market or to contribute to the development of the digital economy.

“ Therefore, many topics and projects we have to keep in the library and not bring to the market, or only have academic value. Therefore, accepting risks in scientific research is right and correct, this also creates excitement for experts and scientists in research work to boldly propose ideas and pilot their own ideas to create breakthroughs in science, technology and digital transformation ” - Professor, Dr. Thai Van Thanh stated.

Airy but not “loose”

Mr. Thai Van Thanh said: There should be clear regulations, here both civil liability and compensation are exempted if the process and explanation are followed correctly. However, even if scientific research fails, it is still a result, a lesson for later researchers or other scientific and technological organizations, a lesson for other countries to learn from.

The lesson of failure is that there is no such process or no such production model, or no way, no wrong approach so that later researchers do not repeat those things. It reduces the risk for the next people or research fields and also creates great value.

Thus, it encourages innovative and risky ideas in scientific research, while also providing supervision to avoid policy exploitation.

Professor Nguyen Quoc Sy suggested that it is necessary to pay attention to effectively monitoring and managing investment capital for projects.

According to Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quoc Sy - Member of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Vice President of the Association of Vietnamese Universities and Colleges, Director of the Vietnam - Russia Innovation Center: The regulation on exemption from civil liability in scientific research and technological development is a new point, contributing to clearing the bottleneck so that scientists can feel secure and bold in researching and implementing scientific and technological projects. However, it is necessary to pay attention to monitoring and effectively managing investment capital for projects.

Because scientists are often not good at managing cash flow and commercializing their products, even during the research process. Therefore, there needs to be support mechanisms to help them use investment capital effectively, avoiding loss and other consequences.

In reality, there are many good, fair-minded scientists who want to contribute to the country, but there are also “bad apples”. Many cases related to the implementation of scientific research topics have left us with painful lessons. Therefore, we must be careful to avoid moving from one extreme to another, from a rigid mechanism to a loose mechanism in controlling investment and evaluating the effectiveness of scientific research.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quoc Sy affirmed that scientific research is a creative activity and is not always successful. “Failure” in scientific research is often not failure. The important thing is that we maintain the team, accumulate experience and knowledge to achieve success. The real failure that needs to be avoided, in my opinion, is when money corrupts the scientific staff.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/tao-luong-xanh-cho-khoa-hoc-cong-nghe-nhung-khong-buong-long-quan-ly-378646.html