Change the way you invest in basic research to create competitiveness

Sharing at the preliminary conference of the first 6 months of the year of the Ministry of Science and Technology on the afternoon of June 29, Mr. Nguyen Phu Binh, Deputy Director of the National Science and Technology Development Fund, said that PEBR does not replace ongoing basic research programs but focuses on innovating ways to invest in science and technology.

Accordingly, instead of short-term funding for each individual project, PEBR targets medium and long-term investments in a series of tasks lasting 5-10 years. The program changes the management style when funding is allocated in packages and increases autonomy for strong research groups, associated with accountability. The program also moves from process-based assessment to assessment according to international scientific standards and substantive impacts.

Tasks will be selected according to the principles of competition, openness and transparency. Applications are evaluated by prestigious scientific councils at home and abroad, based on internationally recognized scientific standards, while considering the ability to create impact on the country’s development.

Resources will be focused on areas capable of improving national competitiveness such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors and quantum technology. Research results are expected to be transformed into strategic technologies, inventions and high-tech products.

Resources for program implementation are mobilized from the state budget combined with socialized resources from businesses. According to Mr. Binh, businesses will participate from the stage of setting research problems, coordinating implementation to receiving and applying the results.

The National Science and Technology Development Fund is assigned by the Ministry to be the funding agency and create an excellent research ecosystem, while research institutes, universities and businesses directly implement research tasks.

Explaining the above orientation, Mr. Binh said that basic research is the starting point of the entire chain of innovation. “If you want innovation, you must have technology. If you want technology, you must have knowledge. And knowledge is created from excellent basic research,” he said.

According to the Deputy Director of the National Science and Technology Development Fund, basic research is an investment in national innovation and an important link in the country’s technological innovation process. “Investing in basic research is not an investment for today, but an investment for the country’s competitiveness in the next 10-20 years,” he said.

PEBR was approved by the Minister of Science and Technology on May 25, with priority given to funding basic research associated with the development of technology and strategic technology products, strong research groups and research directions with the potential to create breakthroughs associated with Vietnam’s advantages.

According to the roadmap, by 2030 the program aims to form at least 30 strong research groups in the field of natural sciences, including groups capable of leading in the region; By 2035, it will increase to about 50 groups.

The program also aims to improve the quality of scientific publications, form research directions with the potential to develop into core technology platforms, and support and connect a team of young scientists.