Vietnam attends the 38th Session of the World Federation of Academies of Sciences

Reports at the Session highlighted the importance of basic research, while emphasizing the orientation of new technology development to ensure national security and position; the role of science, technology and innovation in responding to climate change, natural disasters as well as protecting public health; the need to develop interdisciplinary research in natural sciences and social sciences to preserve heritage, strengthen national identity and enhance cultural dialogue in the context of globalization.

Many discussions from the Academies appreciated the cooperation between national scientific organizations, opening up new opportunities to jointly address global challenges.

Report of VAST Delegation at the Meeting.

With the image of a "strategic technology tree", VAST has assessed basic research as the nourishing root, the "bloodline" path to building technological autonomy.

Based on the successful practice of mRNA vaccines, the leading position in semiconductor technology or advances in artificial intelligence and new energy all come from long-term investments in basic research. Developing basic research is the foundation for shaping core technology, strategic technology, and the trend for autonomous science globally.

Professor, Academician Chau Van Minh, President of VAST, was awarded the IAAS Special Medal for his outstanding contributions to scientific cooperation and development, along with Leaders of the Academies of Sciences of other countries.

Accordingly, the National Academies of Sciences in general and VAST in particular need to continue to promote their role as the nation's leading science and technology centers, taking the lead in basic research, while strongly promoting innovation and international integration to respond to the current trend of scientific development in the world.

In addition, VAST needs to promote training and fostering of high-quality scientific human resources, closely linking research with practical application, building advanced international cooperation models and developing new fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and renewable energy.

In recent times, the practical experiences of VAST in the process of building and developing a leading national research unit in Vietnam such as developing a University under the Academy, connecting postgraduate training with specialized research units, supporting bilateral research projects with member organizations... have been supported by a number of Academies in IAAS and developing similar models.

Within the framework of the 38th Session, Professor, Academician Chau Van Minh, President of VAST, was awarded the IAAS Special Medal for outstanding contributions to scientific cooperation and development, together with the Leaders of the Academies of Sciences of Russia, Belarus, Armenia, China and Uzbekistan.

Professor, Academician Le Truong Giang, Vice President of VAST was awarded the title of IAAS Academician.

These international honors are clear evidence of VAST's effectiveness in international cooperation and integration in the past period, contributing to making science and technology the driving force for the country's rapid and sustainable development in the age of knowledge and global integration.

Previously, on September 17, Professor, Academician Chau Van Minh, President of VAST and Professor Vladimir Karanik, Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB) co-chaired a bilateral dialogue and discussed directions for promoting scientific and technological cooperation in the innovation period.

Professor Karanik noted that in recent times, the two Academies have effectively implemented joint research projects in the Cooperation Roadmap for the 2023-2025 period with the increasing participation of young staff.

With many impressive changes in Vietnam recently, the NASB Chairman believes that this development needs a scientific and technological foundation to promote and believes that in the coming time, the two Academies will continue to develop cooperation in the direction of promoting the contents of effective cooperation such as basic research and expanding to research and technology development - the task that NASB is being entrusted by the Prime Minister of Belarus.

Professor, Academician Chau Van Minh, President of VAST, respectfully congratulated Professor Vladimir Karanik on being appointed by the President of Belarus as Chairman of the NASB Presidium as a "central factor" to strongly develop NASB, closely linking science and technology with the needs of economic and social development.

Professor, Academician Chau Van Minh also emphasized the similarities between the two Academies, when NASB reformed for innovation, and VAST also just restructured in March 2025, focusing resources on priority areas, innovating management methods, promoting the activities of the Science and Technology Development Fund to support the effective implementation of scientific tasks, international cooperation and encourage innovation; contributing to the implementation of recent Central Resolutions on science and technology development, strengthening international cooperation and integration.

Based on the operational orientation of the VAST Science and Technology Development Fund, Professor, Academician Le Truong Giang, Vice President of VAST, Chairman of the Fund Management Board, proposed that the Belarusian Foundation for Basic Research support and share fund management experience, sponsor the development of international research groups, international laboratories, interdisciplinary research with potential applications. NASB agreed that cooperation should aim towards innovative and practical methods, linking research with application and business.

To create a legal basis for cooperation, VAST Science and Technology Development Fund has signed 3 Cooperation Agreements including: Cooperation Agreement with the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus on developing a joint research group; Cooperation Agreement with the Belarus Foundation for Basic Research on exchanging experience in fund management and funding joint activities and Cooperation Agreement with the Enterprise "Center for science and production of multifunctional unmanned aerial systems" under NASB.

Signing of a cooperation agreement between the VAST Science and Technology Development Fund and the Belarus Foundation for Basic Research.

The contents of the discussion and plans to implement cooperation and technology transfer were also strongly supported and affirmed by the Vietnamese Ambassador to Belarus, Nguyen Van Trung, in the context of the Vietnam-Belarus relationship having just been upgraded to a Strategic Partnership, the effective cooperation between the two Academies in the past time and the future cooperation orientation will make practical contributions to the development of science and technology and the recently upgraded Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

The leaders of the two Academies affirmed that, on the basis of the friendly relationship and strategic partnership between the two countries, with many innovations in organizational structure and development orientation in recent times, scientific cooperation between the two National Academies of Sciences of Vietnam and Belarus will enter a new, more comprehensive and effective phase, promising many new successes.

Updated September 19, 2025

Source: https://laichau.gov.vn/tin-tuc-su-kien/chuyen-de/tin-trong-nuoc/viet-nam-tham-du-phien-hop-thu-38-lien-hiep-cac-vien-han-lam-khoa-hoc-the-gioi.html