Overseas intellectuals - A breakthrough driving force for development aspirations

In the draft document submitted to the 14th National Party Congress, the contents of scientific and technological breakthroughs, innovation, national digital transformation and sustainable social development management are placed at the center of the development strategy. This is not only a strategic orientation, but also a solution to the problem of new growth in the context of increasingly fierce global competition.

Strategic advantages for Vietnam to break through

Looking back on the nearly 40-year renovation journey, it can be affirmed that Vietnam has entered a new stage of development with the aspiration to become a developed, high-income country by 2045. The Party and State identify the Vietnamese intellectual community abroad as a particularly important resource, an inseparable part of the national development strategy.

General Secretary To Lam's speech at the 9th Central Conference of the 13th tenure emphasized that one of the key tasks is to attract at least 100 leading overseas Vietnamese experts to return to the country in the 2025-2027 period, along with a special treatment mechanism. The Party and State's viewpoints show a high political determination in renewing thinking and approaches to global Vietnamese intellectual resources.

There are currently more than 600,000 Vietnamese intellectuals and experts working in many developed countries, holding key positions in the fields of semiconductors, artificial intelligence, biology, new materials, green energy, medicine, management, etc. This is "Vietnam's global intellectual resource", an important bridge to help transfer technology, international standards, management experience and new knowledge into the country.

However, for this resource to truly become a driving force for development, there needs to be a breakthrough mechanism that goes beyond the framework, removes barriers in administrative procedures, recognizes degrees, grants practice licenses, as well as creates an open, creative and transparent working environment.

To realize the strategic breakthroughs mentioned in the draft documents of the 14th Party Congress, it is necessary to synchronously implement special treatment policies, linking effective contributions with practical benefits; apply flexible contract mechanisms, internationally competitive income; at the same time, encourage part-time work models, task-based cooperation, creating conditions for experts to both research and commercialize products.

At the same time, building an innovation ecosystem, developing a national data platform connecting Vietnamese intellectuals globally, and establishing a transnational fund to support research and technology startups are necessary steps. The network of overseas Vietnamese intellectuals in other countries should be more closely connected with Vietnamese embassies and representative agencies abroad, becoming a connection point with domestic institutes, schools, and businesses.

If these policies are implemented consistently, long-term and internationally competitive, Vietnam will unlock the enormous potential of Vietnamese intellectuals around the world , turning global intellectual power into a strategic advantage for national development.

Accompanying the aspiration to develop the country

With the responsibility of a Vietnamese citizen living abroad, Vietnamese intellectuals living abroad not only possess global knowledge, but also have a deep love and desire to contribute to the country. Vietnamese intellectuals living abroad are ready to participate in the fundamental fields that the draft documents of the 14th National Party Congress have identified as priorities.

Especially science and technology, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, biotechnology; comprehensive digital transformation, building digital government, digital economy and digital society; developing green industry, circular economy, clean energy. At the same time, contributing to ensuring progress, social equity, improving people's quality of life. That is the path for Vietnam to develop rapidly and sustainably, linking economic growth with human development, affirming the country's position in the global value chain.

Overseas Vietnamese visit Ho Chi Minh City Museum

With the desire to contribute to the country, Vietnamese intellectuals abroad hope that the State will have policies to attract talents in many diverse forms. These include programs such as "overseas experts accompanying institutes, schools and businesses"; building an innovation ecosystem where experts both research and commercialize products.

At the same time, there is a synchronous administrative and legal support mechanism, building a global database of Vietnamese intellectuals. Expanding the in-depth connection model with embassies and Vietnamese representative agencies abroad to play the role of connecting the focal points in each country; closely linking with intellectual associations and Vietnamese expert communities in other countries...

The confidence of overseas Vietnamese intellectuals is increasingly strengthened as the Party and State firmly adhere to the goal of developing the country based on science and technology, innovation and high-quality human resources, taking people as the center of the development process.

The 14th National Party Congress is not only an important political event but also a historical milestone opening the "era of Vietnamese intelligence reaching the world", where the strength of the global Vietnamese community is gathered, resonated and promoted most strongly.

No matter where they live, Vietnamese people still share the same aspiration to accompany the Fatherland, contributing their intelligence and efforts to realize the goal of making Vietnam a developed, powerful, and prosperous country by 2045.

Dr. TRAN HAI LINH - Chairman of the Vietnam - Korea Businessmen and Investment Association (VKBIA), Founding Chairman of the Vietnam - Korea Experts and Intellectuals Association (VKEIA)

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/tri-thuc-kieu-bao-dong-luc-dot-pha-cho-khat-vong-phat-trien-post820487.html