Building human resources for the cutting-edge technology industry

Innovation and digital transformation are inseparable from the foundation of higher education. With the role of connecting global knowledge and domestic development needs, the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH) continues to accompany the goal of making Vietnam a developed country based on science and technology by 2045.

Lecturers at Hanoi University of Science and Technology guide students in scientific research. (Photo: USTH)

Research model associated with training

USTH is a university under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, established in 2009 under the Intergovernmental Agreement between Vietnam and France, with the orientation of becoming an excellent, international-class university training in science and technology.

Currently, the university has 20 undergraduate programs, including 3 joint Vietnamese-French degree programs; 6 dual master's degree programs; 7 full-time doctoral programs at the university and joint doctoral training programs with French partners. All focus on key scientific and technological fields, in line with Vietnam's socio-economic development strategy and France's training and research strengths.

Professor, Dr. Dinh Thi Mai Thanh, Principal of USTH, said that here, students, trainees, and postgraduates study entirely in English and have the opportunity to participate in research and study in France and many other developed countries. Every year, USTH trains hundreds of engineers, bachelors, masters, and doctors with outstanding foreign language skills, expertise, and integration skills. More than 90% of graduates have jobs or continue their studies at a higher level.

Currently, the university has 20 undergraduate programs, including 3 joint Vietnamese-French degree programs; 6 dual master's degree programs; 7 full-time doctoral programs at the university and joint doctoral training programs with French partners. All focus on key scientific and technological fields, in line with Vietnam's socio-economic development strategy and France's training and research strengths.

The school is one of the few universities in the country accredited by the French High Council for Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCERES). This not only affirms the quality of training but also contributes to providing high-quality human resources for Vietnam's science and technology in the era of globalization.

To have this human resource, the school applies the model of “research combined with training”, helping students improve their practical capacity, meeting the requirements of the global scientific market. The school attracts excellent professors and doctors who are Vietnamese overseas to teach and conduct scientific research. At the same time, it promotes international cooperation with other countries in training strategic technology sectors such as nuclear power, semiconductor microchips, remote sensing and biotechnology, etc., attracting students with domestic and foreign scholarship programs.

Citing the biotechnology industry, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Hai Dang, Vice Rector of the school, shared: This is a major that solves many urgent challenges such as food security, healthcare and environmental protection. USTH implements training and research programs applying biotechnology to smart agriculture, biomedicine, pharmacy and environmental science with the participation of highly qualified lecturers at home and abroad and leading industrial partners. In particular, students have access to advanced training models through synchronously invested laboratories, along with the coordination of French partners in building international joint laboratories and high-quality research facilities at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.

More importantly, USTH focuses on developing critical thinking and entrepreneurial spirit, helping students not only master technical skills but also understand the social value of the products they create. This is in line with the orientation of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW in shifting from mastering technology to creating technology.

Affirming that international cooperation is a launching pad for students to have the opportunity to do internships abroad, Mr. Tong Si Son, Deputy Head of the Faculty of Space and Applications, said that the training program of the faculty is built and taught directly by lecturers and scientists from the alliance of four French universities and research institutes: Paris Observatory, Paris-Est Créteil University, Paris Diderot University, and the French National Center for Space Research. The faculty has thoroughly implemented the motto of prioritizing sending students to do internships abroad, followed by domestic research institutes and enterprises. 100% of the faculty's students participate in research topics and projects with scientists within the framework of group projects and graduation internships.

Connecting global knowledge

Like many other universities, USTH faces significant challenges: Investment resources for high-quality human resource education are limited, especially the budget for applied research and modern equipment, making access to advanced technologies difficult. Attracting and retaining high-quality lecturers and researchers, especially international experts, remains a difficult problem...

Evidence from the field of Space Science and Satellite Technology shows that this is an interdisciplinary science, requiring the combination of experts in astrophysics, mechanics, electronics, automation, information technology and geoinformatics, etc., but the number of lecturers and scientists in this field in Vietnam is still small, not covering all necessary areas. This makes it difficult to build a systematic and internationally updated training program. Core technologies in satellite manufacturing and space monitoring are often not shared with developed countries...

To build a high-quality workforce, the school's leaders believe that a systematic, long-term strategy is needed, from regular innovation and updating of lectures to training programs, investing in equipment and facilities for practice, to attracting good lecturers and international experts to teach and search for and support students with international internship and research opportunities.

In addition, there needs to be synchronous coordination between the State, schools and businesses, from adjusting financial mechanisms, increasing infrastructure investment to building training standards linked to industry needs. International public universities such as USTH need to continue to play a pioneering role in connecting global knowledge and promoting multi-stakeholder cooperation to build a workforce capable of leading cutting-edge technology industries in the future. According to Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Hai Dang, to create a team of young, high-quality scientists capable of leading advanced technology projects, it is necessary to combine the following factors: excellence, professionalism, pioneering, integrity and social service.

NHAT MINH - BICH LIEN

Source: https://nhandan.vn/xay-dung-nhan-luc-nganh-cong-nghe-mui-nhon-post898873.html