Concentrate resources to maximize the effectiveness of the National Innovation Center

On October 1-2, 2024, the 5th Anniversary of the National Innovation Center (NIC) and the Vietnam Innovation Day 2024 will be held at Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park. This is an event connecting and gathering the subjects of the Vietnamese innovation ecosystem to recognize the achievements over the past 5 years and honor the contributions of the subjects to the development of the ecosystem, in which NIC plays a leading role.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung (Photo: MPI)

Ahead of the event, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung had a quick exchange with the press about innovation activities and especially the development of NIC over the past 5 years.

Reporter (PV): Could you please share about the process of establishing NIC and the process of NIC implementing activities to connect components of the innovation ecosystem in the past 5 years (2019 - 2024)?

Minister Nguyen Chi Dung: NIC was established at the right time when the Ministry of Planning and Investment was assigned the task of researching and advising the Party and the State on the country's 10-year socio-economic development strategy for 2021 - 2030, which sets a very high goal for the country's development in the period of 2030 - 2045. According to this Strategy, by 2030, our country must become a developing country with modern industry and high average income, and by 2045, a developed country with high income. The time to achieve the goal is running out, while the 4th Industrial Revolution is developing rapidly. Therefore, to achieve the goal in the current challenging context, the Ministry of Planning and Investment recognizes that the nature and root of development is still science and technology and innovation. Based on that awareness, the Ministry has advised the Party to include it in the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of Delegates and consider it a strategic breakthrough along with the 3 breakthroughs in institutions, infrastructure and human resources. This is also the spirit of preparation for the upcoming 14th National Congress of the Party, creating the premise and motivation for the country to enter a new era, the era of the Vietnamese people's rise.

Reality shows that only by taking science and technology and innovation as a driving force for breakthrough development can Vietnam seize the opportunities of the 4th Industrial Revolution as well as narrow the development gap with other countries.

For that reason, the Ministry has nurtured the intention of forming a modern, synchronous, regional and world-class National Innovation Center, thereby building an innovation ecosystem, promoting science and technology research and innovation while gradually leading, spreading, and bringing the Vietnamese economy to a higher level in the value chain. Based on the study of the experiences of other countries and the Resolution of the Party Central Committee, the Ministry of Planning and Investment has coordinated with the world's leading consulting firm to research and develop a project to establish this Center. After consulting with ministries, branches, businesses, and organizations at home and abroad, all highly appreciated and welcomed it. And the National Innovation Center (NIC) was officially established under Decision 1269/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister on October 2, 2019.

NIC in Hoa Lac (Photo: MPI)

Established and put into operation, NIC has always demonstrated its core role in the ecosystem, combining the State, enterprises, institutes - schools to research centers, financial institutions, incubation support units... to support research on new technologies, startups... demonstrating leadership, building and developing the Vietnamese innovation ecosystem and is currently highly appreciated by international friends.

NIC's operations over the past 5 years have overcome numerous difficulties, but more importantly, it has received the support of the Government, the Prime Minister, and ministries and branches. Up to now, there have been basic initial institutions for innovation in general, and the Ministry of Science and Technology continues to improve. As for the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the unit has transformed some contents into the Capital Law, Decree 94 (currently being revised again). In terms of facilities, 2 facilities have been formed: The building in Ton That Thuyet (Hanoi) is operating very effectively, considered one of the best centers in Vietnam today; the Hoa Lac facility has been built on a large scale with foreign funding, with 9 priority technology sectors gradually taking shape. NIC's headquarters in Hoa Lac has so far been voted by a world ranking organization based in Singapore as one of the two best commercial buildings in Asia 2024.

It can be seen that NIC's activities are very new, doing many things, forming institutions, facilities, and apparatus. Most importantly, the implementation process is carried out in parallel, while building facilities, it still organizes activities related to innovation, consulting conferences, incubation, support... for startups, organizes forums for investment funds, especially support for businesses. Hundreds of large and small businesses have benefited from the Center, especially in supporting digital transformation of businesses.

PV: So, according to the Minister, over the past 5 years, what specific policies have we designed for innovation, specifically for NIC?

Minister Nguyen Chi Dung: Among the policies related to innovation, NIC's support for startups is the most obvious. Startups will be consulted and supported to connect resources, funds, and businesses to be researched and consulted on the basis of appropriate needs, in parallel with connecting and supporting localities and businesses in solving problems related to innovation. The breakthrough mechanism is a common problem but will be solved first at NIC.

However, the implementation process in practice has also had some shortcomings and problems that need to be overcome. That is, we have facilities but cannot decide on leasing, business, association, lending, etc. The procedures are very complicated due to the provisions of the Law on Public Asset Management. Therefore, the Ministry of Planning and Investment is also reporting to the Government and submitting to the National Assembly for permission to include in the Capital Law the content that NICs can decide on their own use of facilities, without having to go through procedures as prescribed in current regulations, creating an "open" mechanism, increasing the proactive advantage of NICs, contributing to the flexible and effective use of assets to increase the efficiency of innovation activities.

Semiconductor technology is one of the key areas that Vietnam is aiming for and is being strongly invested in by NIC. (Photo: PV)

PV: To promote the development of innovation activities in general and of NIC in particular, what strategies and plans do we have in the coming time, Minister?

Minister Nguyen Chi Dung: The first requirement is to form a complete, synchronous, and unified policy mechanism, and how to operate it best according to international standards.

Second, complete and improve facilities, research centers, labs, and housing for experts. Currently, the NIC site in Hoa Lac is in dire need of these facilities, and without them it will be difficult to retain experts.

Third, quickly form 9 key, key, and spearhead technology industries, in which the fields of smart manufacturing, smart cities, digital communications, cyber security, environment, healthcare, semiconductors, hydrogen, etc. will be promoted, especially focusing on semiconductor technology by opening research and training centers. Based on the upcoming task assigned to NIC to manage the training program to develop human resources in the semiconductor industry, the requirement to focus on this field is feasible.

The government is setting a very ambitious and strategic goal, which is to train at least 50,000 semiconductor engineers by 2050, supplying the Vietnamese market and possibly foreign markets. With this policy advantage, we need to take advantage of the opportunity immediately. In addition, Vietnam itself has very strong human resources; the demand is very large, the human resources are very available, we will be able to train and have the right to believe that Vietnam will quickly rise up, occupying market share in the global value chain of the semiconductor industry. NIC itself is also organizing this field very strongly.

PV: Thank you, Minister!

Source: https://dangcongsan.vn/kinh-te/tap-trung-nguon-luc-de-trung-tam-doi-moi-sang-tao-quoc-gia-phat-huy-toi-da-hieu-qua-679255.html