The Minister visited the exhibition space of research and application products at the Institute.
No development without bold innovation
At the direct and online working sessions from the Institute's bridge points in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung, Deputy Minister Hoang Minh and leaders of units under the Ministry listened to Director Hoang Ngoc Nhan and representatives of some units in the Institute share about some key activities of the Institute in researching and applying key technologies of fundamental and strategic nature; innovation activities; improving productivity, quality and national competitiveness.
Director Hoang Ngoc Nhan reported at the meeting.
The report and sharing contents emphasize the Institute's mission of developing and transferring technology into practice to promote innovation, improve productivity, quality, national competitiveness, serve industry, national defense - security and sustainable development.
Overview of the working session.
Deputy Minister Hoang Minh said that the Institute needs to abandon the old ways to take the lead in innovation. According to the Deputy Minister, self-research and self-implementation in the old way is no longer suitable for current development requirements. The Institute needs to look back comprehensively from the past, present to the future to clearly determine a new direction. If it does not change its thinking and operating methods, it will be difficult for the Institute to develop breakthroughs.
Deputy Minister Hoang Minh spoke at the meeting.
"In the new context, innovation is no longer a part of science and technology activities but has been identified as an independent field, with its own space for development. Previously, activities of applying technology to businesses, improving productivity and creating socio -economic impacts were very limited. Many research projects only stopped at sample products, or were transferred through single contracts, lacking influence. The weakness is that there is no clear focal point, lacking specific implementation direction. But that challenge also opens up opportunities for the Institute. If it dares to change its approach, the Institute can completely become a pioneer in the national innovation ecosystem," said Deputy Minister Hoang Minh.
Therefore, with its new role, the Institute cannot continue to follow the direction of "doing it yourself, doing it yourself" but needs to know what to do, with whom, and for what purpose. The Deputy Minister pointed out a major problem of domestic enterprises today is not knowing where to start innovation. Innovation is doing things that have never been done before, and this requires a spirit of dedication, courage, and suitable people.
The Deputy Minister emphasized the direction that the Minister had suggested for the Institute: Establishing businesses from existing research results; bridging technology with businesses, promoting businesses to apply technology to grow 5 or 10 times - not just stopping at "selling" technology; shifting from the mindset of making topics to implementing large projects and tasks with clear practical impacts. The Institute needs to reorganize in a streamlined, flexible direction, operating based on the spirit of "dare to think, dare to do", with a clear goal: when mentioning the Institute, it must be associated with specific technology and the ability to transfer substance.
Delegates discussed at the meeting.
Leading the way in innovation
Speaking at the meeting, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung emphasized that the Ministry is the agency leading the national strategy on science, technology and innovation, therefore, there needs to be a clear division of roles between the Vietnam - Korea Institute of Science and Technology (VKIST) and the Institute of Technology Application, so that one Institute focuses on developing strategic technology, the other Institute is a pioneer in the national innovation ecosystem. Innovation includes digital transformation - one of the current focuses of the Ministry.
Minister Nguyen Manh Hung gave a speech at the meeting.
21 years have passed since 1994, according to Decision No. 160/TTg of the Prime Minister, there was a policy to transform the National Institute of Technology Research into the National Institute of Applied Technology Research. Up to now, this orientation has not been thoroughly implemented. The Minister shared that if the Institute continues to hesitate and does not change, it will gradually lose its position, narrow its scale, and rely on small-scale topics without spreading power. Therefore, the Institute needs to resolutely choose a path, and the mandatory path is innovation.
The Minister pointed out that currently, technology application is only one component of innovation. Innovation includes many branches, from technology transfer, technology improvement, technology development from transferred products (technology frontier), to creative startups. The Institute cannot remain confused or keep a safe mindset in the old environment.
The mindset of technology must change. If research is only for publication or small transfer contracts, it will not create growth. It needs to be clearly quantified, 1 dong invested in research must create 5-10 dong of revenue for businesses, thereby contributing to GDP. The Institute must transform itself from a pure research organization to an innovation center, connecting technology, businesses, markets and the international community.
The Institute must be reorganized in a streamlined manner, choosing the right people for the right job and the right model. The Institute's name needs to return to a name with "national" elements to re-establish its position and stature. The Minister requested that before July 10, 2025, Deputy Minister Hoang Minh report to the Minister on the plan to reorganize the Institute system.
The Minister stated that Vietnam's economy cannot develop without innovation. Innovation is not only the job of researchers but also the responsibility of the entire population. The Minister told the story of China, a country with more than 1.4 billion people but always maintaining its position in the top 10 globally in innovation. They became rich thanks to focusing on innovation, and then investing back into research.
Therefore, the Ministry of Science and Technology not only manages the state on innovation, but also has to set an example and create national innovation models. The Institute must take the lead in innovation for national responsibility. The Minister hopes that the Institute will not only excel domestically, but also excel globally.
"A country's greatest asset is not money but the big problems it poses, and the Institute is the place to solve those problems," the Minister emphasized.
Minister Nguyen Manh Hung took a photo with the Institute of Technology Application.
On behalf of the Institute of Technology Application, Director Hoang Ngoc Nhan expressed his gratitude to Minister Nguyen Manh Hung, Deputy Minister Hoang Minh and leaders of the Ministry's functional units for their attention, direction and development orientation for the Institute in the coming time. Fully accepting the tasks assigned by the Minister, the Institute is committed to promoting the spirit of solidarity, proactiveness and serious implementation. In the coming time, the Institute will focus on implementing new and practical activities to contribute more effectively to the development of the industry as well as serve the socio-economic development goals of the country.
Source: https://mst.gov.vn/thay-doi-tu-duy-thuc-hien-su-menh-doi-moi-sang-tao-quoc-gia-197250704100347756.htm
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